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Chan Academy is a registered trading name of
Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
A.C.N. 005 701 806 A.B.N. 42 611 496 488

33 Brooking St, Upwey, Victoria 3158, Australia
Telephone / Facsimile: +613 9754 3334
Email: wbu@bdcu.org.au Website: www.bdcu.org.au

World Fellowship of Buddhists Regional Centre
Associated Institution of the World Fellowship of Buddhists
Member Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria



Work Paper No. 2003-3

Report on Corporate Governance & Reporting (CGR) Task Unit of the
Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
for the Period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003


By Pennie White, BA Dip Ed
Published 9 August 2003



Colour Code: Red
CGR Manager: Pennie White
CGR Vice President: Evelin Halls
CGR Task Unit Members: Julian Bamford, Peter Boswell, Frank Carter, Leanne Eames, Lenore Hamilton, Lisa Nelson, Lainie Smallwood, Anita Hughes, Amber Svensson.


CGR Task Unit Responsibilities: Adhere to legal requirements of corporate affairs; accounts; communicate with Federal, State and Local government departments; organise GST payments; supply Australian Tax Office with Business Activity Statements; provide timely managerial information to ensure profits are made; provide quarterly Profit and Loss Activity Statements; arrange for the audit of accounts at a professional level to meet the Statutory requirements of the Gaming Commission of New South Wales (NSW).; arrange General meetings and maintain statutory minutes for these meetings; monitor and adhere to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) policy; provide first aid facilities; organise attendants for staffing the Centre; correspondence; schedule events for our Teacher; structure new databases and train persons to maintain them; train personnel to operate CGR functions; refreshment supply; fund and organise Dana for the Sangha visiting the Centre; create goodwill with our neighbours; and with local newspapers to advise the community of upcoming events.


1.0 Legal requirements of corporate affairs

This year our CGR team have submitted the annual return of the company to the Australian Security and Investments Commission with the necessary documentation.

We are up to date with all our ASIC responsibilities including submission of change of address for office bearers.

We are preparing a five year plan containing submission dates for our legally required documents.


2.0 Accounts

Our Treasurer and Financial Controller Peter Boswell has lead our accounting team in the payment of accounts, purchases and record keeping.

Peter Boswell has been assisted by Frank Carter, Pam Adkins and David Igraki.

Three new positions of Assistant Treasurers will be put as a motion at this Annual General Meeting.

We welcome Frank Carter, Pam Adkins and David Igraki as our new Assistant Treasurers.


3.0 New Position: Abbot and Assistant Abbots

John D. Hughes and Anita M. Hughes have proposed and seconded that Ms Lisa A. Nelson Certificate 3 Business Administration to be the new Abbott (Spiritual Advisor) of the Chan Academy Australia. This motion will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting on 9 August 2003. Lisa A. Nelson Certificate 3 Business Administration is also proposed to become a Director of the Chan Academy Australia at the Annual General Meeting on 9 August 2003.

Four Assistant Abbots will be appointed to Assist our New Abbott: John D. Hughes, Julie O'Donnell, Evelin Halls and Peter Boswell.


4.0 Changing Learning Culture to S5 Written by John D. Hughes, Peter Boswell, Frank Carter, Evelin Halls, David Ley.

Document produced on 16 July, 2003.

FOLLOWING HIS ILLNESS, JOHN D. HUGHES WILL NO LONGER BE TEACHING STUDENTS IN THE MANNER OF HIS PAST LIFE.

This included staying up long into the night or even all night if a student was unclear. A new approach will be adopted whereby the student will need to powerfully generate the intention to learn.

This will be initially hard on students, as they will no longer have their hands held.

To reach the required level self-motivation, students will need to transform themselves from their current approach.

There is a 5-tier management system, which explains the different levels of learning very clearly. In this system people are divided into 5 types called S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5.

It is the intention of the Centre to have all students at the S4 level or better by the end of the year.

The 5-tier system is as follows -

S1 This is like a country club. People wait to be told what to do. They look for praise and without it will do nothing. Henry Ford’s assembly line work was for these types of people.

S1 people look for work that is repetitive and very dreary to others. No thinking is required as it is done away from them in the planning office. S1 people are inflexible.

S2 People in this category need to be shown what to do. They work in teams with a leader.

S3 People in this category need to write down what there is to be done. They need praise in writing or to be given awards or trophies.

S4 People in this group are self-starters. They own the job and know what to do without being prompted. They act quickly and without errors. They are not stopped by red tape and do not need praise. They are professional. They come from a post-Ford culture.

S4 people constantly listen and sort out what the core meaning is. They can prioritise and will have a clear list of what is to be done. S4 people will work to this list and nothing else.

These people run the world and find new ways of doing old things.

The difference between an Architect and a bee has been used to suggest the difference between S1 an S4. S1 is the bee and S4 the Architect.

The weekly list of tasks is a S4 document drawn up by management. It is for S1, S2 and S3 people. If items are not on this list they are not a priority.

Some very sensitive items are not included on the weekly action list. Examples of these sensitive items include the Sunday morning radio broadcast and the accounts.

If people were interested in S4 they would ask to participate, ask for training or go to the TAFE where courses are designed to make people more flexible.

S5 is above S4 as it includes morality, the common good and altruistic motives as part of the work ethic. For example we will not raise money by giving cocktail parties or by selling alcohol where many people make a lot of money. Similarly we will not trade in weapons or kill beings by trading in insecticides.

We will not lie to sell something.

We will not launder black money.

We will take the ethical ground.

Thousands of profit making schemes are rejected by us each year. This is S5.

S5 cannot be understood until a person is operating in S4. The old ways of S1 - S3 have a place, as they are suitable for emergencies such as fire or warfare. In these instances absolute respect for superiors and blind obedience to orders are needed.

But we are not in a siege mentality. We have the time to plan and discuss our plans with others.

About 5% of our plans do not go to action because under analysis they appear too early or too late for the organization to effect.

The Buddha abandoned the unteachable. He disrobed Monks and Nuns regularly. This is written in the texts. The Buddha refused many access to his order. This is also written in the texts.

The Buddha left 227 rules of conduct and a method of inquiry for disrobing.

That is the reason the Sangha lasts so long - Monks disrobe or are disrobed.

We are Sangha and do not wish to bring Buddha Dhamma into disrespect.

We last a long time because persons leave or are asked to leave.

We do not train unteachable beings.

We know the type of person we train. We abandon the S1, S2 and S3 persons within our organisation and recommend they do TAFE courses for S4.

“High Performance Management” course at Box Hill Institute of TAFE

The Centre proposes a new project to change the culture of learning.

Peter Boswell is heading this project of cultural change, and will do the course with other members. He will then coach them to be professional.

As part of our program to increase members Management Skills to S5 level, six members attended the first night of a 7-night course on High Performance Management at the Box Hill Institute of TAFE at 1000 Maroondah Highway, Box Hill.

Members attending were Lainie Smallword, Lisa Nelson, Amber Svensson, Lenore Hamilton, Rodney Johnson and Peter Boswell.

The course is conducted over seven Monday nights from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm commencing Monday 28th July and continuing for the following six Mondays to be completed on Monday 8th September 2003.


5.0 “Feed a Buddhist” Program

All beings exist on nutrients - fine or course.

All students need nutrients to progress. Most students do not have mental power. To have mental power students must offer food and drink.

Our Teacher John D. Hughes has created “Feed a Buddhist” Program for Members to make the causes needed in this area.

These programs will create Ten Blessings or more for Members and save or make money. The company becomes debtless.

For further information on the ‘Feed a Buddhist’ Program please contact Julian Bamford at the Chan Academy Australia on 03 9754 3335 or 0400 267 330

More information on the Feed a Buddhist Program can be read in the latest issue of the Brooking Street Bugle 91 at www.bsbonline.com.au

6.0 General meetings

General meetings are held on the last Friday of every month. M inutes of these meeting are kept in the minute books in the library.


7.0 Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) policy

As a legally constituted organisation we hold a duty of care to our Members and those who we welcome to our Temple to make safety a priority.

We promote OH&S through our Bulletins, the Brooking Street Bugle, project plans, special notices, records of injury and paying attention to safety-related matters.

This OH&S applies to both onsite and offsite activities and projects such as the Flower Stalls and weekly Camberwell Market.

Commencing with the July General Meeting the General Meeting Agenda shall include an Occupational Health and Safety Report. Agenda Items:

Night lighting for paths and driveway Personal security at night - walk in groups Parking Ease of access for emergency vehicles and personal Securing equipment for stalls (tents, umbrellas, tables) Prevention of food poisoning Changes in legislation affecting our organisation

We are publishing a regular OH&S Bulletin from July 2003. Following our first bulletin can be read in the latest issue of the Brooking Street Bugle 91 at www.bsbonline.com.au


8.0 Monthly Correspondence Reports

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. produces monthly correspondence reports and tables these at general meetings to inform Members of our activities.


9.0 Our Future Plans are:

To include previous months comparison of items entered in database.

To revise External Email digital filing procedure.

To include any reports on significant correspondence.
Members dealing with significant correspondence send an internal email regarding reports on significant correspondence for inclusion in these reports.

Train persons to use our database.
Enter more correspondence into our database.


10.0 Local Press

Our activities were reported on by the Local Press a number of times throughout the year.



Our Reference: LAN 2 I:/cgrrpt03.rtf

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