New Hong Kong lawmaker Julia Lau vows to strengthen risk oversight after Tai Po fire
Architectural sector legislator urges better use of public funds, and has ideas on how to boost development of the Northern Metropolis and tourism
Strengthening risk oversight in major maintenance projects in the wake of the deadly Tai Po fire is a top priority for Hong Kong lawmaker Julia Lau Man-kwan, who represents the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector.
With a voter turnout rate of 54 per cent in the constituency, Lau’s victory ended the 13-year domination of surveyors at the seat. She clinched 2,157 votes and won the neck-and-neck race over her opponent in the surveying field, Francis Lam Ka-fai, by 117 votes.
It was not an easy win for Lau, as the surveying industry takes up 60 per cent of the more than 8,200 registered voters in the constituency – almost double the number of those in the architectural field.
Unlike her predecessor, Tony Tse Wai-chuen, Lau said she did not join “G19”, a coalition of lawmakers without any political party affiliation led by Tse, as she did not wish to vote en bloc when her term started on January 1.