Gender gap Power struggle over trees Candidate age limit: Women under-represented in Government makes decisions for Ageist or practical P22 council P6 the districts P7 magazineTHE YOUNG REP RTER November 2015 In This Issue 4 Timeline 8 District Boundary Maps 22 Hong Kong’s election age History of District Council and Profiles limit: ageist or practical? FRONT PROFILE FEATURE 24 Who will take over the 5 Graphic guide: 18 Young candidates ready “super seats”? How to vote for the race The Young Reporter team Faced with competition from talks to “super seats” law- veteran politicians, candidates makers about the future of 6 The government gender in their 20s are determined to the District Council (Second) gap: from District Council win in the election functional constituency. to Legco FEATURE 7 Elected councillors have little say in district affairs Residents are reluctant to vote because the outcome won’t 20 Discontent with the make any difference government matters most FEATURE in university students’ votes TYR poll on university-student SURVEY voters said Occupy Movement will affect their votes Previous issue explores the situation of old trees on roadsides in Hong Kong THE YOUNG REP RTER Letter from the Editor magazine The Young Reporter editorial to young candidates and young Editor Section Editors Crystal Tse Tsui-see Au Yeung team was gathered in the 24- voters. And, as a female-dominated Cora Chan hour computer lab (more like group on a female-dominated Deputy Editors Catherine Chen a lounge) one day last week campus, we are sensitive to gender Thomas Chan Natasha Fernandes putting together this issue. I was issues in politics and workplace. Jane Cheung Anne Lau Joanne Lee Harry Ng researching the Electoral Affairs Airis Lin Viola Zhou Committee statistics on voter The system of appointed members Iverson Ng turnout and watching one of my is to be abolished starting from Jennie Tang Copy Editors Joanna Wong editors scrolling on his laptop on this election, making the District Mari Chow Hilary Wu the sofa. I looked at the group and Council the only generally elected Jackson Ho spontaneously asked, “Who in this and most democratic part of the Joey Hung Reporters room has actually voted?” government in Hong Kong. The Nathaniel Suen Aaron Au Choco Chan council itself though possesses very Social Media and Web Jonathan Chan CL Among the dozen 21 and 22-year- limited power, even on community Editors Jonathan Chan CY old journalists-to-be, only one policies and transparency in the Michelle Chan Yanis Chan Phoebe Chau person --Joey, our copy editor--had way taxpayers’ money is spent. Shan Shan Kao Herbert Cheung voted in a by-election at South The people in Hong Kong are Christy Leung Kary Hsu Horizons, Southern District West increasingly aware of their rights Alvin Kor Arisa Lai last year. All the rest will be first in politics, partly credited to the Art Directors Amie Cheng Fred Lai time voters this November. Umbrella Movement, and further Jo Lee Rainie Lam reform in the District Council shall Ann Li Kyle Sun Hilda Lo Writing an election issue with soon be appealed. Lindsy Long no voting experience is a double- Public Relation and Sharon Shi edged sword. Having never Back in the lab (or lounge) one Distribution Officer Janet Sun Tina Cheung Anna Tang experienced voting procedures, editor made the confession that Kumiko Lau Candice Tang timelines and reporting regulations she is not a registered voter and Sharon Tang has to be compensated for with the guy on the sofa moved his stare Advisers Flavia Wong Natalie Wong massive amounts of research away from the computer screen to Robin Ewing Phoebe Wong and planning. But as university her and let out a sigh. Jenny Lam Julieana Wu students, it is easier for us to relate Catherine Xu Design Adviser Charlotte Yang Crystal Tse Wade Chan Terrance Zheng Editor Publisher Alice Lee The Young Reporter Printer Department of Journalism Volume 48 No. 2 School of Communication 2015 Hong Kong Baptist Correction: Issue 1, October 2015 University A feature on P.6-9 about the removal of the trees on Bonham Road, as the article correctly noted elsewhere, misstated that a 600-year-old tree instead of four 100-year-old trees were cut down. EMAIL [email protected] WEBSITE tyr.hk 4 • FEATURE By Fred Lai * Edited by Catherine Chen *Known as District Counicl (Second) functional coustituency 5 • FEATURE 6 • FEATURE FEATURE The government gender gap: from District Council to LegCo veryday at 9 pm at Winnie Poon Yam Women’s Commission found that 40 per EWai-chun’s office in Kowloon Bay, cent of the respondents agreed that men Mrs Poon’s husband waits for her to fin- performed better in political leadership ish so they can go to the market together than females, whereas women performed to pick up ingredients for dinner that better in community service. This puts the Mrs Poon will cook. increasingly politicised District Council in an odd position. Today, an elderly man is asking Mrs Poon where to get a vaccination. A woman drops “Hong Kong is still a Chinese society,” said by, home from her holiday in Malaysia, Odalia Wong Ho Ming-hung, a professor and hands Mrs Poon’s assistant a packet of gender studies at Hong Kong Baptist of pastries. They have a brief chat and she University. “It’s very hard for us to get rid of the concept that ‘men rules the outside soon leaves. Poon Yam Wai-chun world whilst women take care of the Mrs Poon, 61, is the district councillor of The under-representation of women causes household.’” Telford Garden in Kowloon Bay. She was basic female-interest policies, for example elected in 1985 to the then District Boards, constructing breast-feeding facilities for Family support is especially important for which was renamed the District Council in mothers in public, hard to pass, said Ms women who pursue politics, said Ms Lau. 2000. Lau. Mrs Poon agreed. “I wouldn’t have made it For the past 30 years, Mrs Poon has worked “Nobody ever comes to me with a problem without the support of my family and my seven hours a day, five days a week advising about women’s interests, “ she said. “People husband’s family,” she said. her neighbourhood. She is a social worker all care about education, welfare and other by profession, wife to a civil engineer and a things.” Mrs Poon’s eldest child is now 36. “Although mother of three. sometimes I feel that I’ve missed something Ms Lau said more women should join with my children,” said Mrs Poon, “I “I was like taking three jobs at the same policy making in Hong Kong and diversity wonder if they could have turned out any time,” Mrs Poon said, recalling the early in gender would lead to better decision better if I had spent more time with them.” days of her career when her children were making in society. small. “I’m proud of my husband and my marriage. Yum Kwok Tung, who will be running in And having his surname Poon in front of “Being a district councilor is very hard,” she the November election for Kowloon City, my name doesn’t mean I’m any lower than said. “It’s even harder for a woman.” said gender matters little in an election. men,” she added. “Being somebody’s wife is a nice identity.” In the previous District Council, female “Maybe some female candidates are more councillors made up 23 per cent of all relatable, but generally speaking there’s members, the highest proportion of not much difference between males and By Julieana Wu women ever, according to the Home Affairs females when it comes to the poll,” he said. Edited by Natasha Fernandes Department. In the current council, it Although the survey conducted by the dropped to about 21 per cent. That means there are 89 women compared to 418 men for the 18 districts. However, the number of female registered voters exceeded that of male in 2015 with about 1.9 million women to about 1.8 million men. A survey by the Women’s Commission also shows that women tend to engage more in community activities, which the District Council deals with, compared to men. “Women’s issues are ignored nowadays,” said lawmaker Emily Lau Wai-hing, who has been elected five times to the Legislative Council since 1991. 7 • FEATURE FEATURE alf an hour before six Banyan Elected councillors have Htrees in Western District on Hong Kong Island were chopped little say in district affairs down in August, Central and Western district councillor Wong Kin-shing Residents are reluctant to vote because the outcome received an email. Although he was won’t make any difference. fully aware of the opposition from the local community, there was nothing activities or promote recreational and “Over the past few years, our district he could do to stop the trees from cultural activities within the district, being removed. councillors have not brought any the website says. changes to our community,” said Mr Lam. “Maybe there is nothing for [the “This is notifying, not consulting,” Mr But some councillors doubt if their Wong said. “The government does not councillors] to improve, which is why suggestions are taken seriously by the my vote does not matter.” respect our district council.” government. Although they are directly elected Emily Lau Wai-hing, chairwoman “When it comes to government of the Democratic Party, agrees that by Hong Kong residents, district policies, the District Council is councillors have little say in the “advisory role” of District Council powerless as an advisory body,” says explains the low turnout.