226 Wilston Road, Newmarket
Brisbane, Queensland 4051
Australia
Email:  i.childs@uq.edu.au

President and Web Coordinator: Dr. Iraphne Childs

Treasurer: Mr. Peter Nunan

Secretary: Mrs. Karen Nunan

International: We continue to support two students in Nepal. Lasha Manandhar, lives in Thimi with her extended family. She receives a basic education at a school supported by NAFA, The Nepalese Australian Friendship Association. Our other student, Suna Rai, is the daughter of a prisoner in Nepal who would not have any opportunities without foreign assistance. She wants to become a nurse and we intend to support her in her ambitions as long as she continues to study. We channel our support through NAFA as they can offer tax deductible receipts. Jeremy Webb continues to run the Alumni Climate Change Network by sending out regular press and other reports on climate change developments. Local: Some of our members continue to work with Australian Red Cross in the aftermath of the devastating floods in Queensland in January 2010. Chapter members are encouraged to make contributions to the Center individually.

The Chapter submitted their updated list of officers. For the quarter, the following events occurred: 1) August 5: Members attended a dinner at a Tibetan restaurant in honor of Indira Rana Magar, Director of Prisoners Assistance Nepal Children’s Homes. One student in a pre-nursing program of Magar’s school has been sponsored by the Chapter. 2) August 28: The Chapter donated educational books to a school in Kathmandu via one of their teachers who was on a home visit in Brisbane. 3) The Nepalese Australian Friendship Association (NAFA), an association that provides tax deductible receipts, has been the channel for the community service projects of the Chapter. Currently, the Chapter supports two economically disadvantaged student recipients in Nepal. The Chapter intends to continue their support for the students as long as they continue to study. 4) Members of the Chapter continue to work with the Australian Red Cross after the Queensland devastating floods in January, 2010. 5) Lastly, Chapter members are encouraged to support the EWC with financial contributions individually.

The Chapter held their EWC day dinner at an Indian restaurant where their 1st “virtual” EWC member from Melbourne, Bruce Allender, participated. The Chapter hopes to involve further the other 2 “virtual” members in Melbourne and Sydney. The Chapter support of 2 students from Nepal is ongoing. Chapter members plan to attend local engagements of the Director of Prisoners Assistance Nepal Children’s Homes, Indira Magar. She will give a talk after a showing of a documentary on human rights in Nepal organized by Amnesty International, and will be at a dinner with the Brisbane based sponsors of children at a Tibetan restaurant. The Chapter is continuing their work with the Australian Red Cross in the aftermath of the terrible Jan., 2011 floods in Queensland. Congratulations to Chapter member, Peter Anthony Nunan, author and Board member of the Queensland Maritime Museum, who was honored with a Medal of the Order of Australia, Gen Div. during the Queen’s birthday, for service to the community as a volunteer with maritime and geographical organizations. The chapter is encouraging members to individually make their contributions to the EWC.

The report from our Brisbane chapter is organized in two areas: Chapter events & activities and Community service projects. On the events and activities area: 1) Jeremy Webb is continuing to actively inform members of climate change issues via the climate change network created in the lead up to the July EWCA/EWC Anniversary Conference in 2010. Enthusiasm for the proposed climate change regional conference has mellowed, especially after all the Chapter energy invested in the unsuccessful Brisbane 2012 Conference bid. 2) On April 3rd, Chapter members had a pot luck supper where the Chapter website was announced as operational, plans for 2011 were discussed and letters from the Chapter’s Nepalese sponsored students were shared. 3) Member Tim McInerny had a New Zealand APLP participant interning with him at the Australian Red Cross Queensland flood relief operations. The intern’s work later led to a related New Zealand job for the intern in Bereavement Funding. On the Community Service Projects: 1) The Chapter continues to support two economically challenged students in Nepal and is planning a fund-raising dinner at a Nepalese restaurant for them in July. 2) Four members were involved in Australian Red Cross Disaster relief during the Queensland flooding. Activities ranged from running evacuation and recovery centers, outreach to flood victims, removing flood debris, etc.

They have been interviewed by journalism students to encourage more people to commit to volunteerism.. 3) The Chapter thanks Noreen Tanouye for providing them with contact information on their new members: Harry Bhaskara and Bruce Allender (Melbourne) and Taka Tsuchiya (Sydney) the latter two, affiliate members who do not pay any dues.

On the response to the 2 proposals: Chapter members are encouraged to contribute individually and supports the 2x per year chapter reporting.

The Brisbane Chapter sent information on their contact person, their website coordinator and the current officers, board or committee members  (contact the Alumni office for details).  On September 12, the group organized a Hike to Help Nepal which supports their sister agency, the Nepalese-Australian Friendship Association.The chapter also got together for an end of the year potluck supper at the Webbs’ residence on December 12.  After losing their bid to host the 2012 EWC conference, the Chapter is considering organizing a regional conference in mid-2013 around the theme of public attitudes toward climate change, to be participated in by research papers of formal academicians and a less formal seminar/presentation by editors, journalists, Jefferson fellows, APLP participants interested/involved in the popular press.

The Chapter held their election of officers on August 27th.  Elected:  Pres, Iraphne Childs, Secretary, Karen Nunan, Treasurer, Peter Nunan, Chapter Website Coordinator, Karen Reid Nunan.

The Chapter held the following events:  Pot luck supper to plan fundraising efforts + AGM (August 27),  Hike to help Nepal, supporting fundraising in Nepal (September 12), submitted Bid to host the EWCA Conference in 2012 (September 22).

The Chapter is developing a website and is also developing Facebook pages for a virtual Australian chapter.  Jeremy Webb continues to operate the Climate Change network, sending regular articles and information on the subject to members.

The Chapter is supporting the education of two students in Nepal, Lasha Manandhar (age 14) and Suna Rai (whose father is in prison).  Chapter members are encouraged to individually contribute to the EWC.

At the EWC 50th Conference, the Chapter became aware of three EWC alumni from Brisbane attending.  They have now joined the group as new members (Ronald Keith, Shumei Hou and Tapan Sakar).  The chapter suggests that it would benefit all the chapters if the EWCA office could regularly provide a list of people from a specific respective area so the area Chapter could contact them and get them involved.