Thomas Bakhap
Australian politician
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Thomas Jerome Kingston Bakhap (29 October 1866 – 18 August 1923) was an Australian politician. He was born in Ballarat, Victoria, the adoptive son of a Chinese immigrant, Bak Hap.[1] He received no formal education but became a shopworker, and was later a tin miner at Lottah, Tasmania. In 1909, he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Bass.[2] In 1913, he transferred to federal politics, winning a Tasmanian Senate seat as a member of the Commonwealth Liberal Party. He was Chairman of Committees from July 1920 to June 1923.[3] Bakhap died in August 1923; John Hayes was appointed to replace him.[4] Bakhap was fluent in Cantonese. He advocated for the Chinese community when Chinese Australians encountered problems arising from the application of the White Australia Policy. He visited China in 1922[5] as a representative of the Australian government, and by that time was recognised as the parliament's pre-eminent expert in Chinese and South-East Asian affairs.[6]
Nationalist (1917–23)
Thomas Bakhap | |
|---|---|
| |
| Senator for Tasmania | |
| In office 1 July 1913 – 18 August 1923 | |
| Succeeded by | John Hayes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 October 1866 |
| Died | 18 August 1923 (aged 56) Launceston, Tasmania, Australia |
| Party | Liberal (1913–17) Nationalist (1917–23) |
| Occupation | Politician |