Shaolin Temple OZ

[curenado]

Wow....it takes 360 million dollars to be a Shaolin temple.
Wonder how the poor bleeders of the last thousand years managed?
But beyond (haha) a bit of cynicism - is this the same fellow the ABBA woman sued to get her 10 million that was supposed to build a disney temple back?
I am personally about astonished. 6 honest men can get sued for a name on a school but we just must spread the word that if you add floating bar and biscotti, problem solved...
I think the humble and earnest must receive the temples blessing even if they must wait in line behind gloriously wealthy "wonderful nonsense".
But we are glad people are having whatever benefit they get. It is a great "product".
We have a chinese culture center here and one of those mcTemple "authentic only ones pure" circuses for the wombats too.
Guess which one seems authentic...
(I mean albuquerque)

[GeneChing]

Shaolin pay up for Comberton Grange land
By SIMON BROWN
Jan. 25, 2015, 3:30 p.m.

Righton deadline, Shoalhaven City Council has received a cheque for $5.2 million from the Shaolin Temple Foundation.

The money is to purchase the land at Comberton Grange for the eventual construction of a Shaolin Temple Complex.

Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash said she was excited and relieved.

“It took this council less than two years to bring this to fruition, even though the project has been eight years in the making.

“I want to pay special attention to Cr Greg Watson, who initiated the project. I know he will be very excited by this news.”

Cr Gash also wanted to thank council staff.

“This process has not been easy for them. And great thanks to those councillors who have been so proactive with this project, often against great negativity.

“It’s time now to unite and make sure the project is completed.”

Cr Andrew Guile said the news was exciting.

“Now’s the time for the foundation to lodge a development application and see the project through,” he said.

Indeed, we'll see.

Wow....it takes 360 million dollars to be a Shaolin temple.
Wonder how the poor bleeders of the last thousand years managed?

Shaolin had imperial support which may well have been worth a comparable amount. The stele from Emperor Li Shinmin was how Shaolin managed to survive the great Buddhist purge in the Tang.

But beyond (haha) a bit of cynicism - is this the same fellow the ABBA woman sued to get her 10 million that was supposed to build a disney temple back?

You mean the Anni-Frid Reuss case? Wait, who's the connection exactly?

[curenado]

<<You mean the Anni-Frid Reuss case?>>
Probably. I only caught a blurb of it and never knew the disposition.

>> Wait, who's the connection exactly?>>
I wondered if it might be the same developer, because that guy had loads of determination too and the same pattern of "crests and crashes" in progress - I was thinking "still goin'" and waiting to see what was next. Since the total monies for stuff like that typically come from heavy investors, often like the group that pays for all the beam iron and group that owns food rights etc, more people than it might seem from articles have to stay on board and sometimes back out. ? There is no doubt it would get visitation if they get it going.

[GeneChing]

The promoter/qigong master for Frida's case was Marcus Bongart (this according to those news items). I can't find a connection between him and this project at all.

[GeneChing]

Oh man...srsly?

Tempers flare at Shoalhaven City Council over 'irregular' cheques By SIMON BROWN Jan. 28, 2015, 12:05 p.m.


The Shaolin cheques Cr Guile says are highly irregular. Account numbers have been digitally removed.

Questions have been raised over the legitimacy of three Shaolin Temple Foundation cheques given to Shoalhaven Council for the land at Comberton Grange

Cr Andrew Guile raised his concerns during Tuesday night's council meeting, during which he was threatened with expulsion for "insulting" Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash.

Cr Guile told the Register on Wednesday the cheques were highly irregular.

“First, a mortgage is usually paid for with a single bank cheque. What Patrick Pang delivered to Mayor Jo Gash last Friday were three personal cheques, two for $1 million dollars and one for over $3 million.

“Second, it is standard practice that cheques for a large sum of money need to be counter-signed.

“And third, all three cheques were post-dated.”

An angry argument arose in council when Cr Guile raised the issue and was accused of insulting the mayor.

“I tried to apologise when asked, but was repeatedly rebuffed.”

Cr Guile said Cr Gash was wrong when she said payment had been received for Comberton Grange.

“In fact, last Friday no money was received for the mortgage.

“The first and second cheques, both for $1 million, can only be banked on January 28 and January 29.”

Shaolin Temple Foundation representative Patrick Pang insisted he was allowed to sign the cheques by himself.

“The money is good. It came in by dribs and drabs from China, but now it is all there.

“There will be no problem with the cheques,” Mr Pang said.

Shoalhaven City Council director of Corporate and Community, Craig Milburn, said the first cheque had been deposited into the Council’s NAB account on Wednesday morning.

“I stood in the deposit line with all the other people holding cheques, although mine probably had a few more zeros than theirs.”

Mr Milburn said he expected the cheque would be cleared by early next week.

Greens Councillor Amanda Findley said proper process had "gone of the rails in respect to the sale of Comberton Grange".

"I'm absolutely astounded that Shoalhaven Council accepted post dated cheques from the Shaolin," Cr Findley said.

"I am distressed that council put out a message that was factually incorrect - the money has not been paid and the majority of it won't be received until the end of February.

"I don't believe that the Shaolin would have had the audacity to present the future dated cheques if they had received different signals from council.

"I think there is a real difference in doing straightforward business and fawning over a developer.

"The current political majority Team Gash have a develop at any cost reputation, but in this case the fundamentals have been lost."

Cr Gash declined to comment.

[curenado]

Well, I suppose we should wait until march 1st and see...

[GeneChing]

The story continues...

Shaolin representative Patrick Pang says he will lobby for blocked housing
By SIMON BROWN
Jan. 29, 2015, 1:42 p.m.


Part of a Shaolin temple in China. Local representative Patrick Pang maintains attached housing is necessary for the Shoalhaven temple's long-term viability.

FOLLOWING the handover of three cheques to Shoalhaven City Council from the Shaolin Temple Foundation for the mortgage on Comberton Grange, foundation representative Patrick Pang says lobbying will continue for a residential precinct of 300 houses despite its rejection by the Planning Assessment Commission in September last year.

Mr Pang said the residences were necessary for the long-term viability of the proposed Shaolin temple complex.

“Shaolin is not a business. It is a spiritual centre and carries out many charitable projects. Charity is close to the heart of Zen Buddhism. But this requires a cash flow.”

Mr Pang expressed disappointment with the negativity of some in the community about the project.

“Dirty politics in Nowra has created a toxic environment,” Mr Pang said. “We are here to promote honesty, transparency and goodwill.

“If you can have a prison in the Shoalhaven, why are people upset about a Shaolin Temple? If James Packer can get his Barangaroo Central casino complex approved in less than a year, why should it take us 10 years to get a temple approved?”

He insisted the foundation was doing everything in good faith.

“We will go ahead with DAs for the project even without the houses,” he said.

“I want people to understand that this will be the first Shaolin temple outside of China. The temple is the essence of Chinese culture. It belongs to the Chinese people in a very spiritual way.
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“Building a temple here in Australia is a wonderful sign of the link between Australia and China, of the friendship China feels towards this country.”

Mr Pang said the foundation was paying to remove the mortgage on Comberton Grange as a show of good faith and so council can breathe more easily.

South Coast MP Shelley Han**** said she would not support the foundation’s push for a residential precinct.

“The Planning Assessment Commission made the decision to exclude the proposed precinct and golf course for the complex because it was inconsistent with the South Coast Regional Strategy. There are significant environmental issues with this parcel of land.

“It will be almost impossible for Patrick Pang to get support from local government for this. I will not support this.”

Mrs Han**** stressed she fully supported the temple complex as approved by the PAC, and fully supported closer links with China.

“The foundation has to get on with it and show it is committed to the construction of the complex without housing.”

Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash said she was open to Mr Pang working towards getting approval for the residential precinct.

“I understand why Mr Pang would like to see this happen. I’ve been to China and know how important it is for the Chinese to have a place of their own when they visit,” Cr Gash said.

[curenado]

I meant about the numberless, post dated cheques and his promise that the money will be there.
I'm not sure I fully get the housing issue? The rep made it sound like poor housing or some charity but the council woman made it seem like it was part of the golf course and precinct housing for visiting chinese?
Either way I was thinking if anything, it would be about housing temple workers.
In any case, in my mind the Shao lin side with the environment. If the golf course and housing erode that, it should be dropped from the grand scheme.

[GeneChing]

Fortunately, this is newsworthy enough to get a decent amount of coverage in English.

Shoalhaven Council welcomes scrutiny as Shaolin cheque clears
Ainslie Drewitt-Smith
Posted yesterday at 5:19pmThu 29 Jan 2015, 5:19pm


Photo: State Labor candidate for Kiama, Glenn Kolomeitz says he'll look at reviewing Shoalhaven Council's handling of developments if he's elected in March. (nswlabor.org.au)
Map: Nowra 2541

The Shoalhaven Council may come under review if a state Labor Government is elected in March.

The council has been questioned this week over its handling of developments, in the wake of payment for land at Comberton Grange.

Shoalhaven Councillor Andrew Guile raised concerns about the legitimacy of cheques handed to the council by the Shoalin Foundation.

The three post-dated cheques totalling $5.2 million, were received by council last week.

On Thursday, the first of the cheques cleared but the Labor candidate for the seat of Kiama Glenn Kolomeitz said he's concerned by how council's dealt with the project.

"Council is a function of the state government. The state member has a responsibility to the seat and the state. So I can tell you, if there is dodgy dealings going on in council I'll be wanting to look at it, as my responsibility as a state member," he said.

"I'm not going to sit on my hands and watch it going on and just ignore it like it's a non issue. It's clearly an issue, the people are telling us that."

Shoalhaven Council's General Manager Russ Pigg said he'd welcome any review of council's processes.

"There's been legal processes put in place in terms of the land sale transaction and the mortgage agreement. If any candidate wanted to press the Office of Local Government to ask questions or come and review our processes, I don't have any concerns with that."

Mr Pigg said he stands by the transaction and how it was handled by councillors and staff.

"I don't have any concerns about councils businesses in terms of the Shaolin Temple development or indeed the land sale."

"The council decisions have been quite appropriate for the circumstances and I think would clearly pass any scrutiny from the Office of Local Government," Mr Pigg said.

Mr. Pigg is a rather unfortunate name for a politician.

[curenado]

Yes, I have known "Hoggs" but that was my first "Pigg".

"I'm not going to sit on my hands and watch it going on and just ignore it like it's a non issue. It's clearly an issue, the people are telling us that."

It seems there are things we don't see having significant influence for whatever reason.
I do not think anyone should budge an inch until all cheques have cleared. That seemed dodgy to begin with.
Don't really know anything about their politics as to this new fellows party, but I guess we will find out more since he's threatening to rattle cages for some reason?

[GeneChing]

Not quite as funny as a bounced check tho...

Further questions raised over Shaolin Temple after cheque bounces
By Nick McLaren

Posted yesterday at 3:57pm Mon 2 Feb 2015, 3:57pm


Shaolin Temple Photo: An artists impression of what the Shaolin Temple development would look like if it gained full concept approval. The Planning Assessment Commission has recommended the project be scaled back.
Map: Nowra 2541

A cheque for a million dollars as part payment for the proposed Shaolin Temple land south of Nowra has bounced, ramping up concerns the project could fail.

Shoalhaven Council has received three cheques, totalling more than five million dollars, to pay for land at Comberton Grange.

One cheque, for one million dollars, was successfully cashed but a second bounced, and a third for $3.1 million dollars cannot be banked until Monday, February 23.

Council's general manager, Russ Pigg, says if the full amount is not received by February 25 he will call an extraordinary council meeting to consider all options.

He says late payment will also incur an additional interest charge.

Shoalhaven's mayor, Joanna Gash, is also maintaining support for the Shaolin Foundation, though has expressed her disappointment at the delay.

She says its difficult to move such a large amount of money from China to Australia.

"It's very easy for us to say you should do this and you should do that, but things work differently in China, it's very difficult to get that huge amount out here, it had to go into separate banks," she said.

But Councillor Andrew Guile doesn't agree.

He says an extraordinary council meeting should called this week.

"Look the general manager's direct course of action is not good enough, the time to act is now, we should be having the extraordinary meeting this week, on Thursday or Friday," he said.

"We should be moving to call in this morgage and they then get 30 days grace, so why extend it by another few weeks, why not act now in the best interest of Shaolhaven ratepayers."

He is being backed by Councillor Amanda Findley who says the whole payment process has been irregular.

"Council at our meeting last week were presented with a slip of paper which said that $5.2 million dollars had been transferred to Australia," she said.

"And I just continue to try to get my head around the fact that if that money is in Australia why didn't we get the full amount in one bank cheque?"

Shaolin Temple Foundation mortgage to be called in by Shoalhaven council
By ROBERT CRAWFORD
Feb. 3, 2015, 5 p.m.

Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash says she has done her best to see the Shaolin project succeed.

Mayor Joanna Gash said she would move the recommendation.

“As a result of recent developments [the foundation’s second $1 million cheque for the land not being honoured] we will move formally to give the foundation 30 days to make all payments and to meet the terms of the agreement,” she said.

“That still allows the foundation a month to do it all if it wants to. It will take in the date for the third cheque [February 23].

“It’s been a really hard decision. I had to weigh up the advantages for the city and weigh up somebody’s word of honour. I have put myself on the line with this.
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“I’m never too proud to say if it doesn’t come off at least we gave it every opportunity for the city.

“We brought it to head in two years. It has been sitting with past councils and under previous mayors for years.

“As I have said before if the foundation didn’t come good with its payments I would be the first to make sure we reclaim the land.

“We have a quarter of a million dollars deposit, $1 million in the bank and $600,000 in the bank in interest payments and we still own the land.”

Cr Gash took exception to a statement by fellow councillor Andrew Guile that she and some other councillors were “too close” to the developers and should exclude themselves from future decisions on the project

“I find it offensive, he [Cr Guile] has known Patrick Pang from previous council terms a lot longer than I have,” Cr Gash said.

“Cr Wells and myself went to meet the Abbott to assure him that comments made by certain politicians didn’t reflect how we felt here.

“He [Cr Guile] has also been to China at the expense of council.”

This was emphatically denied by Cr Guile.

“I was billed by council for the entire trip as per the agreement I made with [then mayor] Paul Green. I went at the invitation of Paul Green.”

“I have the receipts and cheques to prove everything was paid for by ourselves, including meals and there weren’t that many,” Cr Gash said of her own trip.

“I did it at my own expense because I believed in the project.

“There has been so much negativity on this issue caused by two councillors who have never supported this project and done everything in their power to see it fail.

“Previous mayors have also been there. The role of the mayor is to try to bring the best to our city I have done the best I possibly can. It’s time he got over the sour grapes.”

General manager Russ Pigg said he had not spoken to Mr Pang in the past couple of business days but had been dealing with foundation secretary Phil Balding.

“The latest advice I had, they were making every endeavour via Patrick to make good the funds today [Tuesday],” he said.

“Council took the three cheques on face value and good faith and things looked good when the first cheque was honoured but it doesn’t look as good the foundation’s second cheque was not honoured. I don’t know what to make of the whole thing now.

“The current circumstances are why I have recommended to go to a more formalised path and bring closure to the whole matter.

“The benefit to the area could be enormous through tourism and economic development. We have bent over backwards to try and help – we have strung out enough rope. Now is the time to start hauling it back in.”

It seems there are things we don't see having significant influence for whatever reason.

Isn't it always so? It's not the light. It's the absence of darkness.

Someone who claimed to be from the area contacted me privately and said there was some issue about sacred Aboriginal burial grounds involved, but I have yet to see any confirmation of that. I get a lot of unsubstantiated private contacts.

[GeneChing]

Shoalhaven mayor gives Shaolin temple developers deadline to pay up
Posted yesterday at 3:53pmTue 3 Feb 2015, 3:53pm


PHOTO: An artists impression of what the Shaolin Temple development would look like if it gained full concept approval. The Planning Assessment Commission has recommended the project be scaled back.
MAP: Nowra 2541

Shaolhaven Council will give the Shaolin Temple Foundation one month to provide outstanding morgage payments for land at Comberton Grange to build a temple and associated development.

Shoalhaven mayor Joanna Gash says the foundation will be given 30 days to make all payments and meet all terms of agreement should the morgage default when the last of three payments is due on February the 23rd.

Critic of the council's handling of the development, Councillor Andrew Guile, says the move represents a further extension of payment terms.

Temple shenanigans need to be put under the microscope to restore faith
Feb. 3, 2015, 6:17 p.m.

PATIENCE has finally run out over the Shaolin’s payment for land at Comberton Grange.

After the second cheque bounced on Friday, a fact revealed only on Monday afternoon, Shoalhaven City Council was on Tuesday afternoon moving to call in the mortgage. Ironically, that will actually give the Shaolin Temple Foundation even more time to pay up.

The latest promise, in the form of a post-dated cheque, was that the final payment would be made by February 23. The decision to call in the mortgage will give the foundation 30 days, effectively extending the deadline into early March.

The question on the lips of everyone watching this saga is if the Shaolin can’t organise prompt payment and simple money transfers for a mere $5 million, how will it manage to build a complex $380 million temple which will involve specialist labour, presumably on 457 visas?

Scepticism over the future of the deal is rife throughout the community and entirely understandable. So too are calls for an investigation into the way the transaction has been handled by Shoalhaven City Council. While it probably doesn’t warrant a probe by ICAC, it should certainly attract the attention of the Department of Local Government and to that end, the local state MPs Shelley Han**** and Gareth Ward should get the ball rolling.

For ratepayers’ faith in the way successive Shoalhaven councils have negotiated on their behalf to be restored, the scrutiny of an outside body is necessary.

Ratepayers deserve to be confident that their interests are being served properly and with due process and diligence.

If I ever write another Shaolin book, it might be titled Shaolin Shenanigans.

Shelley’s Shaolin election problem
Feb. 3, 2015, 6:19 p.m.

TO Shelley Han**** MP, you don’t need reminding that your election is due in less than two months.

The Queensland result has shown that you are already handicapped due to the federal government, through no fault of your own.

You have now become the meat in the sandwich as your local Shoalhaven City Council has shown a complete disregard for its ratepayers in its fawning capitulation to Patrick Pang and the Shaolin Foundation.

It appears that Tony Abbott and Joanna Gash have been drinking from the same well, and you are the one who will wear the backlash from their bizarre decisions and strange lack of judgment.

Even you can see that Team Gash’s support for this project is beyond any explanation. They misled the public by telling us the cheque had been paid to council. Only later did we find that not only were there three post-dated personal cheques, the second has now bounced.

And the council’s reaction? Give them more time to present a bank cheque, and not even for the full amount outstanding. Anyone who has ever purchased property knows full well that only bank cheques for the total amount is acceptable, despite whatever spin the council’s general manager puts on it. We are not stupid.

Labor’s candidate for Kiama, Glenn Kolomeitz, has stated that he will launch an investigation into Shoalhaven City Council and the Machiavellian dealings with the Shaolin Temple, should he win the upcoming election.

You now have the opportunity, and indeed responsibility, to cross the political line and immediately tear up this contract and launch an investigation into this council.

If not, all of the alliances and support groups who successfully lobbied the Planning Assessment Commission will be forced to realign and come out in support of your opposition. You rightly distanced yourself from the extremely questionable goings on at Shoalhaven City Council and Team Gash.

You also have publicly rebuked Patrick Pang and Joanna Gash in their recent calls for pursuing the re-introduction of the 300 houses on the site.

All of this is about to explode in your face on the eve of what already will be a difficult election. You have done a wonderful job so far. Don’t let Shoalhaven City Council drag you into political obscurity. Be proactive now and put a hold on this questionable deal while you launch an investigation into the Shaolin development. Don’t become the target of the Shoalhaven’s anger over this issue by reigniting the opponents of Comberton Grange.

Enough is enough. This debacle has to stop now, and you must show the leadership we need by taking immediate action, before it is too late for both of us.

G. Bathurst,

Woollamia.

[curenado]

Well, another shao lin hustler - making China look pitiful too. They are going to screw around long enough until someone wants to know how the temple got involved in hot check games and breaking every sound principal messing with these developers.

[GeneChing]

Here's some more. Very busy in Oz over this.

State MP refers concerns about Shoalhaven Council Shaolin deal to Local Govt Minister
By Nick McLaren

Updated yesterday at 2:20pm Wed 4 Feb 2015, 2:20pm

South Coast MP Shelly Han**** has forwarded correspondence about financial transactions between Shoalhaven Council and the Shaolin Temple Foundation to the Local Government Minister.

Ms Han**** says Paul Toole will be assessing all the information about the presentation of cheques for payment of land at Comberton Grange, and checking with the Dept of Local Government to see if it warrants an investigation.

She says while the matter is not serious enough to warrant a referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, it still raises serious matters that need to be looked into.

"People have expressed concern and are continuing to express concern in other media outlets about post-dated cheques being presented from the Shaolin Foundation to council and council accepting those cheques, one of those cheques then subsequently not being honoured and further extensions of time," she said.

Ms Han**** says she is also concerned about reports the Shaolin Temple Foundation is still pushing for approval for a 360 lot housing sub-division for the site, despite its clear rejection by the Planning Assessment Commission.

"I will stand opposed to that," she said.

"I think for very good reason the Planning Assessment Commission refused the subdivision component and the allotments and also a golf course development, because that would have meant actually wiping out of a whole wildlife corridor on that property.

"So I think the PAC made the right decision," she said.

Who are these Shaolin people?
Feb. 5, 2015, 5:34 p.m.

IN my younger days I met two interesting people. One was a Vietnamese boat person called Tan who was a fifth Dan black belt Shaolin Kung Fu expert. The second was a Chinese Kung Fu master Lin, who fled China during the Cultural Revolution. He said the Shaolin shifted out of China for very good reasons and he lived in Taiwan before coming to Australia. Tan received his Shaolin Kung Fu training in Saigon, where many of the Shaolin monks shifted to. The Shaolin movement was further dispersed when Saigon fell in that military conflict.
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In recent history the Chinese have continued to persecute all religious groups, which include the Buddhists. In Tibet, the Chinese installed a fake Dalai Lama in an attempt to try to con the Tibetans into thinking their religious concerns were all OK.

In China, a state-sponsored church denounced the Christian churches and still considers Christians as subversives.

So the big question in my mind concerning the Shaolin setting up shop in the Shoalhaven is: Who are they? My guess is that they are about as religious as Scientology. All other religious groups in China are being persecuted so how is it this mob of so-called Buddhists are state-sponsored? Let’s face it, China is the world leader in the production of fakes.

The answer to my question can be found in the Shaolin application for a housing division, golf course and the potential to fly in guided tours that have no real contact with Australia outside the Shaolin precinct or away from Chinese tour guides. These tightly controlled tours are simply money-laundering scams. The so-called Shaolin Buddhists are a veneer of legitimacy. In Sydney, busloads of Chinese tourists can be seen being herded into shops owned by companies in China.

My next question is: Has Shoalhaven City Council been seduced by the possibility the Shaolin proposal will generate wealth and jobs in the Shoalhaven? Yes.

Shoalhaven City Council should cut its losses on the Shaolin proposal and pull the pin. It is obvious the Shaolin mob is murky, their methods of doing business are dubious and their intention is to hang tough until they get what they want.

C. Evans,

Nowra.

[curenado]

Whoa he wasn't pulling punches.
I would like to raise 1 million for a place monks might want to be - but I realize the idea of a non-public and commerce centered sanctuary is outlandish. Outrageous.