Great Stupa of Universal Compassion
Ms EDWARDS (Bendigo West) (09:48): Suspended from a crane in a cage over 50 metres in the air, I was privileged to join Ian Green, OAM, chair of the Great Stupa, the mayor, Margaret O’Rourke and the member for Bendigo East to unveil the final piece of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion. This Buddhist temple is the largest of its kind in the Western world and has been a driving dream and ambition of Ian Green and his wife, Judy, for around 20 years. It is a place of worship, peace and inclusion. Nestled amongst the bushland in Myers Flat, it recognises many different faiths and inspires visitors with greater understanding and respect for the many faiths of our world. There have been many donors to and supporters of this iconic stupa from across the world. The Great Stupa has become one of Bendigo’s and the region’s top tourist attractions with over 25 000 visitors each year. Now that the stupa is complete, there will be many more visitors to this magnificent structure.
Congratulations to Ian and Judy Green. It takes enormous courage to have a vision as bold as the stupa, to stay the distance and to see it become a reality. I was pleased to secure over $2.5 million from the Andrews Labor government to support the completion of the stupa. The completion of this stupa crowns a unique and majestic tourist venue, enhancing the visitor experience and cementing Bendigo’s position as an international travel destination and a place of multicultural and multifaith expression.