Australia as a Neighbour

CONFERENCES

MELBOURNE CONFERENCE

Melbourne Conference 2007

- Bridging the divides with compassion, integrity and global responsibility

Nearly 300 community leaders and activists from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, including 22 from Fiji, attended the 'Australia as a Neighbour' conference 12-16 January looking at the twin themes of relationships between communities in Australia and the role Australia plays in the region.

Download conference report in PDF format

For web report of the conference see http://www.au.iofc.org/newsroom/2790.html

Transparency International Australia also carried a brief report in their February Newsletter

Conference Speeches

A selection of conference speech transcripts are offered below. More will gradually be added.

Keynote speech by Bishop George Browning
Visier Sanyu opening remarks at gala dinner
Jim Beggs on 'Living with the Neighbour who is Different'
Abdul Mukti on 'Living with the Neighbour who is Different'
David Mills on 'Australia as a Neighbour'
Jim Coulter on 'Australia as a Neighbour'
Waleed Aly on 'Australia as a Neighbour'
Mary Louise O'Callaghan on 'Australia as a Neighbour'
Sudanese Youth for Reconciliation and Hope
Jane Mills on 'Healing Journeys'
Reg Blow on 'Healing Journeys'
Sherene Hassan on 'Healing Journeys'
Dr Penny Ramsay - perspectives on healing in Aboriginal communities
Ron Lawler on 'Healing Journeys'
Mick and Laura Vertigan on 'Healing Journeys'
Grahame Leonard on 'Building trust and integity'
Ron Lawler on 'Ethics in the workplace'
Phil Jefferys on 'Beyond the Bottom Line'
Joses Tuhanuku on corruption
Environmental Initiatives of Change workshop

Conference invitation text

View the invitation (PDF on-screen version)
Download the invitation (PDF print version)

In its breadth of diversity, Australia is a microcosm of the world. No one said it was going to be easy living together; but if we can get it right we have something precious to offer a divided planet.

We share a vision for a compassionate and fair-go Australia as:

a community of diverse ethnic and cultural communities at peace within and working for peace on the world stage
a nation willing to look at the shadows of its past, moving towards healing and proud of its indigenous cultures
a nation acting with integrity and responsibility to those who share the earth's resources

The conference will focus on sharing experience, through interactive sessions, workshops, a women's 'peace circle', discussion groups, music and the arts. Themes will include:

Bridging family and relationship divides – the starting point for each of us
Bridging integrity divides – how ordinary people can fight corruption and help create a long-term sustainable and responsible business and political culture
Bridging religious divides – how the great faith traditions can be forces for healing rather than conflict
Bridging Australia's divides – between communities, between Aboriginal and other Australians and between Australia and neighbouring countries

Venue: International House, 241 Royal Parade, Parkville, Melbourne

Speakers

Waleed Aly, lawyer, journalist, member of Islamic Council of Victoria Executive Committee
Jim Beggs AM, former President of Waterside Workers Federation of Australia
Reg and Walda Blow, Aboriginal Elders
Bishop George Browning, Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn
Sherene Hassan, Secretary of Islamic Council of Victoria Executive Committee
Phil Jefferys, International Farmers' Dialogue, Australia Representative
Ron Lawler, Director in NSW Public Service
Grahame J. Leonard Pres. Exec. Council of Australian Jewry; Director, Transparency International, Australia
Abdul Mukti, Chairman of Central Board of Muhammadiyah Youth, Indonesia
Nithi Nesadurai, Public Relations Consultant; Editor ECO - Climate Action Network, Malaysia
Sandi Noble, social worker
Phong Nguyen, Chairman of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria
Mary Louise O’Callaghan, Journalist, Solomon Islands
Penny Ramsay, doctor working in two Darwin Aboriginal health centres
Denis Tracey Author of Giving it away: in praise of philanthropy
Tom Trevorrow, Ngarrindjeri Elder, Director of Camp Coorong Education and Cultural Centre, SA
Joses Tuhanuku Transparency Solomon Islands

Conference Program

Friday 12 Jan.

7.00pm Opening Dinner: “Australia as a neighbour”
Keynote address: Bishop George Browning
Welcome John So, Lord Mayor of Melbourne; George Lekakis, Chair, Victorian Multicultural Commission; Dr Jane Munro, head of International House
hosts: Reg and Walda Blow, Visier and Pari Sanyu

Saturday 13 Jan Theme: “Living with the neighbour who is different – discovering the other”

07.30 Inner Listening – short food-for-thought followed by silent reflection
08.00 Breakfast
09.00 Heart of Transformation – developing the skills and practices to become effective agents of change, starting with ourselves
09.45 Small Group discussions
10.45 Tea break
11.15 Main plenary session: "Living with the neighbour who is different - discovering the other."
Speakers include: Jim Beggs, Phong Nguyen, Abdul Mukti, Troy Blow, Faten Mohamed, Nelson Manyiel
13.00 Lunch
14.30 Public Meeting: "Australia as a neighbour"
Speakers include Waleed Aly, Mary Louise O'Callaghan, North and South Sudanese
16.00 Afternoon Tea
16.30 Interactive plenary session and wrap-up: sharing insights
18.30 Dinner
20.00 Getting to know the neighbours - music and dance from many countries. With Stan Dryden, one of Australia's finest didgeridoo players.

Sunday 14 Jan Theme: “Healing journeys - facing our past and looking to the future”

Peace Circles - Pari Sanyu
Aboriginal Weaving - Ellen and Tanya Trevorrow
Yoga and Inner Listening - Visier Sanyu
Pacific Workshop - David Mills and Joses Tuhanuku
Creative Workshop - Judith Pimental
Aboriginal Healing - Flo Grant
Discover the Other - Mike Lowe

16.00 Tea break
16.30 Interactive plenary and wrap-up: sharing insights
18.30 Dinner
20.00 Film - 'The Imam and the Pastor', Australian premiere. Chance for questions and discussion.

Monday 15 Jan Theme: “Beyond the bottom line – ethics@work, confronting corruption, development as if people matter”

Peace Circles - Pari Sanyu
Aboriginal Weaving - Ellen and Tanya Trevorrow
Silk Painting - Helen Stacey and Betty Sumner
Pacific Workshop (continued) - David Mills and Joses Tuhanuku
Transparency International - David Mattiske
Environment - Tom Duncan, Nithi Nesadurai, Dean Belfield
Ethics in the workplace - Ron Lawler, Francis Halim

16.00 Tea break
16.30 Interactive plenary and wrap-up: sharing insights
20.00 'There's more to life' - original songs and sketches.

Tuesday 16 Jan