State MP Urges Australians to Take a ‘Principled Stand’ Against the Chinese Regime

Bernie Finn, State MP for Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne and Liberal Party member, in his office in Melbourne, Australia on 8 July 2019. Grace Yu/The Epoch Times

Victorian MP, Bernie Finn has called on Australians to take a “firm and principled stand” against the Chinese regime once “normality [has] returned.”

Speaking with The Epoch Times on Friday, April 3, Finn, a Liberal Party member and Victorian Legislative Council member, said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is “directly responsible” for Australians who have died from the CCP virus. He added that justice must be sought for those who have lost their livelihoods, businesses, homes and families.

“This is a disaster of international proportions—the worst that we have seen probably in 100 years,” Finn said. “The fact of the matter is that Australians here have died because of what the CCP has done.”

Australia, like many countries, has been placed under lockdown since confirmed cases of the CCP virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, began to rise from mid-March. Measures such as social distancing and shutting down of non-essential services have in effect disrupted the economy, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

As of April 7, Australia has 5908 confirmed cases and 45 related deaths.

With over 1 million cases reported globally, Australia’s chief medical officer, Professor Brendan Murphy believes the actual number to be five or ten times higher due to some countries not having the capacity to test.

When asked by a reporter on April 3 about the number of reported CCP virus cases coming out of China, Murphy said: “the only numbers I have total faith in are the Australian numbers, frankly, because we have the highest testing rate in the world.”

Additionally, the CCP has attempted to deflect criticism surrounding CCP virus numbers through its disinformation campaign saying that the U.S. Army was responsible for the virus.

“I mean it just falls in line with the CCP’s reputation for telling lies,” Finn said. “It is an exceedingly dishonest, and disreputable government, one that we can’t believe on anything now it would seem.”

“ ... no number of lies that they tell should divert us from getting justice for people who are affected by what the CCP has done.”

‘A Dangerous Organisation’

Finn explained why Australia and the free world should not become friends with the CCP given its history of tyranny and suppression, and added that countries such as Australia, UK and the United States should hold the Chinese regime to account over the CCP virus.

“The CCP is a dangerous organisation, a dangerous group of people, they are dishonest, a dreadfully dishonest group of people.

“They do not have the interest of the people of China at heart, much less the interest [of] the people of Australia, or anywhere else,” he said.

Bernie Finn, State MP for Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne and Liberal Party member, on Skype in Melbourne, Australia on April 3, 2020. Epoch Times

Finn added that the world’s people had seen the true nature of the CCP through this pandemic.

“If this virus has created any good at all, it’s brought knowledge to people that [the CCP] that China has is thoroughly evil, is totally evil. And I use that word advisably.”

When asked about the Victorian Labor government’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement, which was signed by Labor Premier Daniel Andrews on Oct. 23, 2019, Finn said: “we don’t actually know what’s he’s signed up to. He won’t tell us. The Chinese won’t tell us.”

“We should walk away from people who do not have our best interests at heart, who are not our friends, and who will quite frankly screw us over with every opportunity.”

“China is a huge threat to each and every one of us.”

In reference to the CCP virus, Finn said: “ ... whichever way you look at it, whether it was a deliberate act or whether it was an act of criminal negligence, this is the result of the CCP—they are directly responsible for this, whichever way you look at it.”

Finn said he looks forward to seeing the CCP fall.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful that out of this dreadful incident through the world, the Wuhan virus, out of their dreadful, dreadful attack on the world, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Chinese government fell.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the CCP crumbled, and China as a result of that was able to have a free government, a democratic government, they’re able to join with their friends, the neighbours, their cousins, in Taiwan and enjoy freedom.”

Epoch Times reporter Beatrice Lee contributed to this report.