Tom Parker
Mr Tom Parker
Media Adviser
City of Melbourne
Tom is a media adviser at the City of Melbourne covering international relations, business, tourism and trade portfolios. Previously he worked for Radio National's Asia Pacific Program after a short stint helping out in the ABC's Beijing Bureau.
Interested in China at a young age through family connections, Tom studied Chinese at high school and university. He first visited China in 1992 on a three month study tour, and returned to Shanghai three years later to learn more about Chinese pop culture. An honours thesis on the late and great canto-pop queen, Teresa Teng at ANU was followed by a Dip Ed and two years teaching before moving back to Melbourne to work for Asialink.
After two years managing Asialink's diverse public programs, Tom returned to China on the Australia China Council's inaugural Young Business Scholars program to undertake further study in Beijing. After completing his studies, he worked at Red Gate Gallery and as a freelance writer for regional business and cultural magazines and the ABC.
Despite a diverse career path, Tom has remained focused on China and Australia's relationship to it. Tom returned to Australia in late 2002 to see how little value Australian employers still place on Asia skills and international experience and hopes through the leadership program to raise awareness and access to China beyond the Great Wall, kung fu and fried rice.