His family fled the Vietnam War when he was a baby, reaching Malaysia, where they gained refugee status, ultimately migrating to Australia in 1969.
Heavily associated with the New Right faction and seen as a "rising star", he sought preselection for the 2005 state election, but was forced to settle for the unwinnable fourth position in East Metropolitan.
[3] Pham received a second opportunity to enter parliament when, in late 2006, fellow MLC Louise Pratt won preselection for a safe seat in the Australian Senate, as part of a factional deal to allow Pham to contest the countback for her seat in the Legislative Council.
[4] However, in June 2007, while still awaiting Pratt's resignation, Pham suffered a massive brain aneurysm, resulting in his near death, lengthy hospitalisation, and confinement to a wheelchair.
[2] This caused concerns of a crisis in the near-deadlocked Legislative Council after Pratt's resignation in October, as the opposition would not confirm whether they would grant a 'pair' for the ill Pham.