Polling results reflect negative sentiment against Mao concert On 29 August, a popular Wechat platform ImmiAU did a 3 day polling of over 22,000 Chinese people on their opinion of the Mao concerts in Australia. Results show that 63% (14,085) voted to say NO to the Mao concerts vs only 32% (7,166) who supported. 4% (993) voted to stay indifferent. A similar polling took place on SBS Mandarin channel a week prior and results showed 75% against the concert (239 votes), 21% in support and 4% indifferent. The results reflect broader public sentiment against Maoism and this concert. Holding this concert on Australian soil has already damaged this country’s reputation around the world and set us up as an easy target by China’s soft power foreign policies. Australia has twisted our own high standards to accommodate the most fearful Chinese tyrant in contemporary history. As Australian-Chinese, we see this trend happening as Chinese language media in Australia become largely influenced by Chinese government with all sorts of commercial linkages; pro-China groups emerge in Sydney and Melbourne; the incoming of Confucius Institutes in our universities which have spread to high school and primary schools in the name of teaching Chinese, yet funding are sourced from Hanban, which is an official Chinese government body based in Beijing. The Mao concerts are part of soft power strategies to gradually desensitize the Australian public as well as our Federal, State and local politicians to the on-going human right abuses and authoritarian rule of the Communist Party in China, or accepting these as normal. Mao belongs to the museum to be kept in a shameful page of history; he should not be celebrated and brought out live in our landmark Town Hall. We welcome all media to join us on at 6pm on 6 September outside the Sydney Town Hall. We have scheduled a rally to Say NO to this concert that undermines Australian Values and our democracy. Please join us on the night and SAY NO together! Embrace Australian Values Alliance Contact: John Hugh Email: jhugh@tpg.com.au Mobile: 0414 816 751