(TibetanReview.net, Sep05’25) – A group campaigning for a free Tibet with respect for human rights has just concluded its 14th annual Tibet Lobby Day at the Australian Parliament, Canberra, with the participation of 15 young Tibetan delegates from Tibetan Community Associations across the country. The Tibet campaigners have met with around 30 members of parliament – some of whom have spoken up in parliament – during their Sep 1-2 programme.
This year’s campaign focused on concerns surrounding China’s meddling in His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, transnational repression of Tibetan-Australian community members, and the importance for governments to urge China to return to dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his representatives to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict, said organizer Australia Tibet Council (ATC) in its statement for the occasion.
The first day’s programme began with representatives of the lobbying team briefing the media at Parliament House on the critical situation in Tibet. This was followed by the Co-Chairs of the Australian All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet (AAPGT) providing an overview of the Tibetan cause and their response to media questions, said a Tibet.net statement Sep 4.
The Tibetan delegates – who came from Canberra, Newcastle, Sydney, Queensland, and Victoria – met around 30 members of the Australian Parliament across all political parties to make their voices heard on the various issues concerning Tibet and Tibetan people, said the Office of Tibet, Canberra, in a Tibet.net statement Sep 3.
Tibetan Parliament in Exile members Tenzin Phuntsok Doring has said a delegation led by him met with Senator Bridget McKenzie, Senator Richard Colbeck, Jason Sandorp (Chief of Staff to Senator Paul Scarr), MP Renee Coffey, Senator Nick McKim, Dr. Sophie Scamps (MP), and Senator Andrew McLachlan.
Four lobby groups were stated to have met with MP Alison Penfold, MP Mary Aldred, MP Alicia Payne, Senator Dean Smith, Senator Barbara Pocock, MP David Moncrieff, MP Tim Wilson, Senator Dorinda Cox, Senator Deb O’Neil, Senator Steph Hodgins-May, Senator David Smith, Senator Pete Whish-Wilson, Senator David Pocock, Senator Raff Ciccone, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, MP Andrew Wallace, and MP Susan Templeman.
ATC’s Executive Officer Dr Zoe Bedford and ATC staff members Sonam Tsering and Geraldine Nordfeldt have also taken part in the lobbying campaign.
An immediate result of the lobbying effort was that MPs and Senators including Susan Templeman, Dean Smith, Nick McKim, and Steph Hodgins-May raised Tibet-related issues in parliament and made strong appeals reflecting the key points highlighted during the lobbying days, said the Tibet.net statement Sep 4.
Senator Steph Hodgins-May, Australian Greens’ spokesperson for democracy and climate change, and energy, has said in the Senate, “The succession of the Dalai Lama is a sacred tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and Australians must take a principled stance in condemning any interference by the Chinese government. As democracy, we have the responsibility to stand with the Tibetan people. Australia must affirm that Tibet’s status is unresolved, press for genuine dialogue, and support for the preservation of their culture and way of life.”
We strive to make human rights issues in Tibet an important part of Australia’s relationship with China. We do this by engaging our political leaders and ensuring the voices of Tibetan communities in Australia are heard, ATC said in its statement.