FABC President’s Report

07 August 2016

When I accepted nomination as president on 10^th Aug 2015 I agreed to serve one term and am pleased to report that together we have made progress achieving the aims and goals of the FABC.

Some of the key achievements these past eleven months have been:

- For the first time in many years there was a face-to-face meeting of FABC reps in Perth for the 2015 AGM; this helped galvanise the committee especially having all attended the 9^th Global Conference on Buddhism in Perth together.

- Placement of FABC policies and Mission Statements on the FABC website; which helped crystallise our purpose and mission.

- We published our own Climate Change; our Paris COP21 FABC Climate Change Statement was posted on 5^th Nov 2015; which demonstrated a new willingness to speak for ourselves. Our statement differed in that birth control and deforestation were mentioned.

- We were co-signatories to a Climate Change Statement that was presented to the United Nations in June 2016; this raised our profile as many there were several high profile signatories such HHDL.

- For the first time FABC released a direct emailing of our COP21 Statement to politicians, media and Buddhist community members; this was a significant change of tactic from merely posting a statement on our website and hoping the statement would be read.

- Kim Hollow represented FABC at SAMVAD, Global-Hindu Initiative on Conflict Avoidance & Environmental Consciousness in India in early September 2015; this keeps the FABC as a member of a worldwide Buddhist umbrella organisation.

- I sent a letter of introduction and congratulations to Prime Minister Turnbull in September 2015 on his appointment; this opened up a communication with the new PM.

- A meeting in Perth with Minister of Justice Michael Keenan with Ajahn Brahm, Kevin Dickson (BCWA President).

- Establishment of the FABC’s Facebook page; the response to our postings have been very favourable. Unlike postings on our website it is easy to assess the response of people to them.

- A letter of introduction and request for meeting with Asst Minister Craig Laundy was sent on 16 Mar 2016. This was drafted in main by Benjamin Webster.

- Obtaining Vesak Message from Prime Minister Turnbull; this was shared 680 times via FaceBook which is really high. It was evidence that the Buddhist community does appreciate recognition by government leaders.

- Obtaining Vesak Message from the Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten; we will be friendly to both sides of politics and stop there without going to independents and minor parties.

- Kim and I were in contact with Stuart Amoore throughout 2015 regarding the formation of a BCACT and I was invited to Canberra in April 2015 to speak to the stakeholders in the ACT. I thank Stuart Amoore and ex-FABC rep Trevor Robertson for their efforts there.

- An invitation by the Prime Minister to attend the first Ramadan break-of-fast dinner hosted at his Official Residence; Kirribilli House in Sydney was sent to me. I was one of only two Buddhist representatives at this event. The other was a Zen priest from Sydney. We intend to recommend to government to send invites also to the Australian Sanga Association in future. PM Turnbull suggested we invite him to visit a Buddhist temple in Australia.

- A meeting with Asst Minister Craig Laundy of Multicultural Interests in Sydney was had in the hectic final weeks of the election campaign. It was a warm and positive meeting where I indicated him a number of expectations and perceptions of the Australian Buddhist community which represents a potential half million votes.

- I attended the BCNSW’s AGM (June 2016) in Sydney where I was invited to speak. Thank-you Brian White and Benjamin Webster.

- A meeting between Kim Hollow (Hon. Sec.) and Labour Senator Claire Moore in Brisbane (June 2016) was held, Cecilia Mitra also attended this meeting.

- Contact was made with the Shadow Multicultural Minister’s Office (June 2016)

- A statement and video of support for the gradual phasing-out of Greyhound Racing in NSW was made.

Some of the other things that happened this past eleven month has been:

- We had a number of changes of committee members during the year. As a result we welcomed Michael Wells and Brian Ashen as the replacement members from Victoria and also Cecilia Mitra from BCWA.

- A statement by the BCWA in response to the arson attack on a Perth mosque just before Federal Elections (which I drafted) was posted on the FABC websites and Twitter account.

- Our Oz and Buddhist flag logo was created for use on our Facebook website (not our official logo as yet).

- The FABC posted a message about the attack in Paris (Nov 2015) which was perpetrated by an armed Muslim extremists and was an attack on freedom of expression with implications to Australian society.

- Brian White (BCNSW President) represented FABC at the Australian Partnerships of Religious Organisations (APRO) conference on Tuesday 17 Nov 2015.

- Benjamin Webster (FABC Treasurer & BCNSW Board Member) represented us at Human Rights Commission Religious Freedom Roundtable meeting in Sydney.

- Letter of support for Prof. Powers’ who was dismissed from ANU was sent.

- Radio interview about Climate Change in June 2016 was aired.

- The FABC was a co-signatory of the Climate Change Statement by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

- Kim Hollow and I spoke with George Gatenby and Anna Markey of BCSA to encourage a re-constitution of the BCSA.

Thank-you to all committee members as especially to Kim Hollow and Benjamin Webster – the three of us worked very closely mostly behind the scenes. I thank all who shared their views and engaged in our consultative process over the past twelve months via our private FABC email group.

Also a special thanks to Dennis Sheppard who is our capable volunteer co-ordinator of our Religious Marriage Celebrants. Thanks also to Anita Lau, Anna Markey, Benjamin Webster, Brian White, Brian Ashen, Cecilia Mitra, Harvey Tuck, George Gatenby, Kevin Dickson, Michael Wells, Stuart Amoore and Trevor Roberston. Thank-you also to Ajahn Brahm and Bhante Sujato for support and advice.

I have been on the FABC Management Committee for nine years and will be stepping down this year but looking ahead I hope new in-coming committee will:

- Follow-up with the newly elected A sst Minister of Multicultural Interests and continue with some of the requests made.

- An updated and mobile-friendly website.

- Improving the governance of the FABC and state councils.

- Help raise the political presence of the Buddhist community in federal parliament.

- Place a statement on our website to encourage Buddhists to tick “Buddhist” instead of “No religion” during Census.

- Adopt a new logo for the FABC.

Yours in the Dhamma/Dharma,

Jake Mitra, Dr

President
buddhistcouncil.org.au