Jiale (Wayne) Wang Offering USU Pay to Panda Against USU Regulation
Ellie Stephenson and Vina Zhou report.
USU candidate Jiale (Wayne) Wang has been uncovered appearing to offer, if he wins, to use his stipend to bankroll future elections for his faction, Panda. In a leaked WeChat message from a group chat named ‘2020 Panda councillor’, he says “Before next year’s RepsElect, I will forgo all my salary as a hidden fund for next year's election or activities. (please don't leak this to the outside as this does not comply with the regulation.)”
As Wang notes in the message, making such an offer does not comply with the USU’s electoral regulations. Regulation 10.8.1(j) prohibits bribery, which includes “promising, offering or endeavouring to give… money… in exchange for preferential treatment or to induce a voter to vote”.
This could be a serious breach of the electoral regulations, which is likely to be taken seriously by the returning officer, who can rule on potential breaches of the regulations by USU campaigns. Other candidates in the race, particularly competitors for the international student vote, are likely to react critically.
Another concerning part of the screenshot reads “No matter working for USU as an international portfolio holder or being in charge of C&S, I will increase the publicity of panda with all my effort and any of my resources or connections in USU would be linked to Panda.” This raises questions about Wang’s ability to be independent in USU portfolio roles and responsibilities.
The Panda faction is an international student faction which has had considerable success in student politics over the last few years. Last year’s SRC President, Jacky He, was from the faction, and they have 7 councillors (the second largest group after Switchroots) on this year’s Council. There have also been a number of Panda-aligned USU Board Directors in recent years.
The full translation of the WeChat messages is:
I am really grateful to all of you for supporting me to run this USU election as a member of Panda, and I have already started my preparation for it after the permission. We are gonna win this battle and bring victory to everyone in Panda. Before the election, I would like to make some promises:
If I got selected, I would be representing and benefiting Panda during my entire tenure. Every single decision I vote for would be under the discussion of Panda. My roots are here (Panda).
I understand it will be beyond my capacity to undertake the responsibility for an important position next year, however, please allow me to stay in charge of Panda’s business before next year's RepSelect. No matter working for USU as an international portfolio holder or being in charge of C&S, I will increase the publicity of panda with all my effort and any of my resources or connections in USU would be linked to Panda.
Before next year's RepsElect, I will forgo all my salary as a hidden fundings for next year's election or activities.(please don't leak this to the outside as this does not comply with the regulation.) Thanks again for everyone's support and confidence in me, good luck for this and next semester, we will win this battle together!