Chinese consulate in Melbourne demands justice after fatal stabbing of delivery worker

The Chinese consulate in Melbourne has urged local authorities to “severely punish” the person responsible for killing a Chinese delivery rider on Friday evening – a tragedy that has sparked mounting online outrage over delivery platform safety standards.

A 47-year-old delivery man from China’s northwestern Shaanxi province was stabbed to death while on the job and another rider was injured in downtown Melbourne on Friday evening, after the two confronted a man who was “tampering” with their bikes, sparking an “altercation”, Victoria state police said.

A 51-year-old suspect was arrested on Saturday morning and remains in custody, while the second delivery rider was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening stab wounds, according to police.

In a statement, the Chinese consulate said it was taking the incident very seriously and had immediately activated an emergency response mechanism.

It also urged local authorities to “conduct a thorough investigation, handle the case lawfully and fairly, severely punish the perpetrator, and effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens”.

The Chinese consul general is in contact with the victim’s family and assisting with follow-up arrangements, according to the statement.

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Richard Welch, a lawmaker representing the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region of the state, said the community was “in shock at this terrible crime”.

“This is someone’s father, someone’s son, someone’s husband just trying to make a living and support his family,” Welch said in a video posted on social media on Saturday.

Members of the local Chinese community expressed grief online. Two customers who had received deliveries from the late victim and restaurant owners who worked with him described him as “patient and kind”.

A combined protest and candlelight vigil is expected to take place in the city on Saturday evening.

The tragedy has once again thrust gig worker safety into the spotlight, as public backlash intensifies against HungryPanda, the delivery platform where the two riders were registered.

Multiple riders have reported online that the platform has previously charged them for stolen meals.

A petition launched in the wake of the incident urges authorities to investigate whether HungryPanda penalises riders for stolen orders and whether company policies and practices put workers at unnecessary risk.

“No delivery rider should have to risk their life to recover a stolen meal,” the petition states. It has gained more than 4,000 signatures.

Witness Yicong Chen said that the two delivery men ran into the restaurant after the confrontation, according to Australian broadcaster 7News. Inside, the 47-year-old victim still attempted to collect food for delivery, seemingly unaware of his injuries.

In a statement issued on Saturday morning, the company emphasised that it “never requires riders to chase or confront anyone to recover an order”.

It added that riders did not face deductions or penalties for deliveries disrupted by theft, robbery or safety risks, stressing that it had reaffirmed these policies to staff and delivery partners.

In 2020, a HungryPanda rider was killed in Sydney after being hit by a bus while delivering an order. The company told the victim’s widow that her late husband was classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, making her ineligible for compensation.

Two years later, the state workers’ insurer ruled that the victim was an employee rather than an independent contractor, a landmark decision that triggered widespread compensation claims and bolstered union campaigns to protect gig workers.