By Elizabeth Gosch and Paul Maley
WHILE the Dalai Lama made a heavily policed but peaceful arrival in Perth yesterday to begin his $3.5 million, 11-day tour of Australia, John Howard was still being coy about whether he would meet the exiled Tibetan leader.
More than 200 supporters greeted the Dalai Lama as he arrived at Perth International Airport and was met by almost a dozen police officers.
In his first visit to Western Australia in 15 years, he blessed several local Buddhists who had gathered at the airport.
“There is a certain energy wherever he goes, even before he arrives,” supporter Beverly Camp said.
“I’ve seen him a number of times now, here and in Sydney, and he emits a certain compassion. This time was the same. Once it was so spiritual, I found myself in tears.”
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, who met the Dalai Lama in 2002, has committed to another meeting next Tuesday but John Howard’s office was yesterday still checking the Prime Minister’s itinerary to see whether the pair would meet.
On his fifth Australian tour, the Dalai Lama will combine his usual lessons on spirituality with advice on environmental consciousness.
His first official public appearance today will include a 2 1/2-hour forum on spirituality and sustainability hosted by celebrity gardener Jamie Durie.
At lunch the Dalai Lama will address businessmen and women from the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce on the issue of Leadership and Corporate Wellbeing.
Later in the afternoon he will make a speech about Ethics for the New Millennium.
Many of the events are free to the public and questions have been raised about how organisers will cover the cost of the eight-city tour.
Organisers estimate more than 200,000 Australians will come out to see the Dalai Lama, who will fly to Melbourne on Thursday.
Visits to Bendigo and Geelong have been cancelled following concerns about the 71-year-old’s health but the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader will go ahead with events and speeches in Canberra, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Sydney.
Tour director Alan Molloy has dismissed reports the tour will lose millions of dollars.
Dr Molloy said he was confident organisers would recoup the $3.5 million cost. “Most of those costs are related to providing the free public events,” Dr Molloy said.
“We will ask the people who attend those events to support us and to be generous, and they will.”
The tour was working on a break-even budget, he said.
“We don’t seek to make any money out of this tour and any money we do make we would be giving to Tibetan-related causes,” Dr Molloy said.
The tour is not receiving any government funding other than state and federal police protection.
