Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City 2009 Iftar

Facilitating the Iftar of the Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City Inc. 5 September 2009, Jasmin 1 Restaurant, Auburn.

Notes from the opening speach by Keysar Trad:

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Welcome distinguished guests, elders and friends and thank you for joining us for this Iftar.

As tonight marks the fifteenth night of the holy month of Ramadan, instead of repeating a message that you would have heard at every Iftar, I have decided to remind you of a lesson from fasting that we don't often hear.

Fasting requires that we control our mouth, that we keep it closed to food and water from dawn to sunset. We are also required to ensure that we do not ruin our fasting by saying anything that is wrong.

All this means that fasting predominently requires the control of the mouth. When it comes to speaking, the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him told us that sometimes a person may say a word heedlessly that it may cast him into hell for seventy autumns. Words are very important and it is very important to choose our words carefully and wisely. Some people have suffered greatly in this world for ill-chosen words.

The other part of our body that we must control is the private part, the prophet peace and blessings upon him said if you guarantee me two things, your mouth and your private parts, (that you do not misuse them), then I will guarantee you paradise, or Heaven.

This is the month that trains us to control these things very well. It is the month that strengthens our soul so that it can over come the needs of the flesh. This is the wonderful month of Ramadan.

The official guests table

Hajj Farouk Kassar, Ilham Hafez (2me), Akram Mughawesh and guests

His Grace Bishop Kevin Manning and Sr.Vivienne Keeley, Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, at the Iftar.

Hajj Farouk Kassr, His Excellency Tammam Sulaiman and his wife Isis Sulaiman

Sh. Khalil Chami, the Hon. Laurie Ferguson, Farouk Kassar his Excellency Tammam Sulaiman


Some of the official guests.

Hajj Hassan Bazzi, president of the Al Zahra Muslim Association.


His Excellency Tammam Sulaiman, the Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic

His Grace Bishop Kevin Manning, Catholic Diocese of Parramatta.

His Grace, Bishop Kevin Manning, Catholic Diocese of Parramatta.

Sh. Khalil Chami

The Hon. Laurie Ferguson Mp, parliamentary secretary for multicultural affairs.

Hajj Farouk Kassar, the president of the Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City

Keysar Trad addressing the guests.

2009 Islamic Friendship Pre-Ramadan Barbecue

Pre Ramadan Barbecue with Special Guests, The Hon Philip Ruddock MP and his wife Heather and the Hon. Dr. John Hewson and his wife Jessica, Sh. Taj Aldin Alhilali, Richard Mitry and his wife Sandra, Antoine Kazzy and Camil chalala.
Special Thanks to Hiba and her Husband Andrew for making their home available for the barbecue.

Peace Vigil for Sri Lanka

Peace Vigil for Peace in Sri Lanka

Held at Martin Place, Sydney

25 July 2009


Islamic Friendship Association' message.

Choir singing for peace in Sri Lanka

Keysar Trad addressing those in attendance at the peace vigil

Sydney Lawyer Zaahir Edries delivering the message of the Sri Lankan Muslim Association.

Dinner with the Hon. Linda Burney MP

Community Leaders dinner and discussion with the Hon. Linda Burney MP, Minister for Community Services.

Convened by the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc.

22 May 2009

Interfaith program, Hindus, Christians and Muslims coming together

Interfaith program with leaders from the Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities.

22 April 2009

The program was hosted by the Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City, with the support of The Deartment of Immigration and Citizenship and the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc..

The event was held at the Grand Westella, Lidcombe NSW, Australia.

The speakers were:

Welcome to Country by Ms. Anne Fairbairn

Official Welcome: Mr. Farouk Kassar,

President of the Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City Inc.

Hindu speaker: Prof. Nihal Agar

(President of the Hindu Council of Australia)

Christian Speaker: Rev. Prof. James Haire AM

(Executive Director, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Charles Sturt University
Formerly, President of the Uniting Church of Australia and Formerly President of the Australian National Council of Churches)

Imam Yahya Safi

(Imam of the Lakemba Mosque and
Formerly, the representative of the Mufti of Lebanon in Australia)

The program was facilitated by Ms. Hala Trad

Word of thanks: Keysar Trad

(Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc.)

Ms. Hala Trad and the three speakers, from her left, Prof. Nihal Agar, Rev. Prof. James Haire AM and Imam Yahya Safi

Australian Poet Anne Fairbairn with Sh. Khalil Chami on her right and Elie Nassif (President, Lebanese Community Council on her left).

A section of the audience.

Some of the cuisine

Some of the cuisine

Anne Fairbairn delivering Welcome to Country Poem

Prof. Nihal Agar of the Hindu Council of Australia delivering his speech

Rev. Prof. James Haire (introduced by H Trad)

Imam Yahya Safi (introduced by H Trad)

Faith Communities offering solutions to the Global Financial Crisis

Brief glimple at the Financial solutions dinner held at St. Patrick's Cathedral Hall, Parramatta, joinly convened by the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta and Initiatives of Change.

Prof. Akhtar Kalam, Sh. Taj Aldin Alhilali, Ms. M Keen, K Trad, His Excellency Hasan T Nazer, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, His Grace Bishop Kevin Manning

Facilitator Mr. Noel Dubien (from the ABC), Associate Professor Steve Keen, Prof. Akhtar Kalam and K Trad.

Mr. David Mills, Rev. Iain Pearson, Julie Owens MP and Philip Ruddock MP.

F Kassar, Justice John Dowd, Dr. John Hewson, C Watson and Mr. Anthony Roberts MP

His Grace Bishop Kevin Manning, K Trad, R and H Trad and Ms. Julie Owens MP

Notes from the keynote Address by Associate Professor Steve Keen:

Notes from the speech by Associate Professor Steve Keen:

Worst Crisis Since The Great Depression”?
Steve Keen
School of Economics & Finance
www.debtdeflation.com/blogs
http://www.debunkingeconomics.com/

OECD Economic Outlook June 2007
“the current economic situation is in many ways better than what we have experienced in years…
Our central forecast remains indeed quite benign:
a soft landing in the United States,
a strong and sustained recovery in Europe,
a solid trajectory in Japan
and buoyant activity in China and India.

In line with recent trends, sustained growth in OECD economies would be underpinned by strong job creation and falling unemployment.” (p. 9)

Chief Economist Jean-Philippe Cotis
Crisis began August 9 2007—just 2 months later!
BNP closes 3 funds with strong subprime exposure…
Macroeconomic Debate 2000-2007…

“The Great Moderation”
Belief amongst (conventional) economists that slumps were—thanks to them—“a thing of the past”…
What went wrong?

2 vital questions:
1.How could the economy suddenly go so bad?
2.How could economists have got it so wrong?

The answers:
The bursting of a debt-financed speculative bubble
Conventional economics ignores debt and money
Debt bubbles independent of politics…
Debt and GDP grew at same rate 1945-1964
From mid-1964, debt grew 4.2% faster than GDP
Debt:GDP Ratio 25% in 1964
Peaked at 165% in 2008…

2 “superbubbles” under McMahon, Hawke…
Australia’s Debt Bubble (1965-2008)

It doesn’t matter who runs Treasury…
What went wrong?
OECD Economies have become debt-dependent
During boom, 20% of demand from increased debt
What went wrong?

Not long…
The Great Deleveraging
Correlation between debt change & unemployment from trivial to 90%
Why economists didn’t see it coming…

“The model could be described as broadly new Keynesian in its dynamic structure but with an equilibrating long run.

Activity is demand determined in the short run but supply determined in the long run…
The model will eventually return to a supply determined equilibrium growth path in the absence of demand or other shocks.”

Australian Treasury “The Macroeconomics Of The TRYM Model Of The Australian Economy”, p. 6

“One thing which has not changed over the past five years is the philosophy underpinning the model. It remains small, highly aggregated, empirically based, and non-monetary in nature.”
RBA Research Discussion Paper 2005-11, p. 1

Why economists didn’t see it coming…

Conventional “neoclassical” economics:
Ignores private debt completely
Ignores money except as a factor in inflation
Model of money has been empirically falsified
Presumes the economy always tends to equilibrium
Treats finance markets as inherently prescient
Financial deregulation it promoted helped cause crisis
US economist Hyman Minsky developed “Financial Instability Hypothesis” as explanation for crisis
Supported by Bill White (ex-Head, Monetary and Economic Department, Bank International Settlements)
Minsky’s hypothesis known by RBA & other Central Bank economists but ignored…
Minsky’s “Financial Instability Hypothesis”
Economy in historical time
Debt-induced recession in recent past
Firms and banks conservative re debt/equity, assets
Only conservative projects are funded
Recovery means most projects succeed
Firms and banks revise risk premiums
Accepted debt/equity ratio rises
Assets revalued upwards…
“Stability is destabilising”
Period of tranquility causes expectations to rise…
The Euphoric Economy
Self-fulfilling expectations
Decline in risk aversion causes increase in investment
Investment expansion causes economy to grow faster
Asset prices rise
speculation on assets profitable
Increased willingness to lend increases money supply
Money supply endogenous money, not under RBA control
Riskier investments enabled, asset speculation rises
The emergence of “Ponzi” (Bond, Skase…) financiers
Cash flow less than debt servicing costs
Profit by selling assets on rising market
Interest-rate insensitive demand for finance
The Assets Boom and Bust
Eventually:
Rising rates make conservative projects speculative
Non-Ponzi investors sell assets to service debts
Entry of new sellers floods asset markets
Rising trend of asset prices falters or reverses
Ponzi financiers go bankrupt:
Can no longer sell assets for a profit
Debt servicing on assets far exceeds cash flows
Asset prices collapse, increasing debt/equity ratios
Endogenous expansion of money supply reverses
Investment evaporates; economic growth slows
Economy enters a debt-induced recession
Back where we started...
Crisis and Aftermath
Modelling Minsky
Extension of Goodwin’s Growth Cycle to include debt
4 “stylised facts”
Wages share grows if wage rises exceed productivity
Employment rises if growth exceeds productivity + population increase
Bank lend money to finance investment & speculation
Speculation rises when growth rises
Dynamics
Borrow money to finance investment during a boom
Repay some of it during a slump
Debt/ Income ratio rises in series of booms/busts
Eventually one boom where debt accumulation passes “point of no return”…
A Minsky Model with Ponzi Finance
Honouring irresponsibly created debt will lock us into a permanent slump…
What could happen?
USA & Australia debt ratios highest in history:
What could happen?
Decline in spending inevitable given collapse of debt-financed spending
Aggregate demand sum of GDP plus change in debt
At peak, change in debt accounted for
23% of demand in USA, 20% in Australia
Change from debt-dependent to debt-free economy makes prolonged slump inevitable:
“We’re certainly in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime set of economic conditions.
The perspective I would bring is not one of recession.
Rather, the economy is resetting to a lower level of business and consumer spending based largely on the reduced leverage in the economy.” (Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer)
The future
A Depression as private sector de-levers
Deleveraging will overwhelm government remedies
Government stimulus: +A$42 billion…
Australian Private debt A$2 trillion
5% reduction: -A$100 billion
Deleveraging swamps stimulus
Only medium term solution requires debt reduction
Cause inflation?
Neoclassical “printing press” model won’t work
Reduce debt by fiat
Would we honour Bernie Madoff’s debts?
Debt irresponsibly lent in first place
The future
Even if policy “correct”, have to replace 20%+ of debt-financed demand with income-generated demand
In interim, up to 20% fall in demand…
Not “the recession we can’t avoid” but
The Depression We Can’t Avoid
Long term:
To avoid a 4th crisis in 2060 (after 1890, 1930, 2009)
Regulation won’t work
“Stability is destabilising”
Regulators “captured” during good times
Debt will grow if borrowers see chance for leveraged profit
Two proposals
The future
Share market
Make shares last 25 years (like bonds)
Dividend flow & voting rights for 25 years
Can buy/sell as now
Shares redeemed at issue price at maturity
Potential for share price volatility reduced
Housing market
Base valuation on imputed rent
Set ceiling to secured debt at (say) 10 times annual imputed debt
To pay higher price, need more of buyer’s money, not more leverage
Leverage falls as price rises
“Same House” Price Index over 350 Years
Collapse in asset prices inevitable
Trying to prevent it will just prolong the agony…
USA and Australian Housing Bubbles Compared
Japan’s Burst Housing Bubbles

Below are the notes from the speech of Professor Akhtar Kalam, Chairman of the Muslim Community Cooperative Australia Ltd.

Save Gaza Now, 4000 Candle Art Project, Australian Parliament, 10 Jan 09

A photo from the cherry picker "Save Gaza Now" "أنقذوا غزة الآن"

A ground picture of the candles

A ground picture of the candles.

Diplomats HE Dr. Izzat Abdul Hadi with HE Tamma Suleiman Ambassador of Syria lighting candles with other diplomats and dignitaries.

K Trad lighting more candles with diplomats and dignitaries and artist Jorge Pujol

Sh. Ahmad Yusuf of the Canberra Islamic Centre giving the word of Thanks and MC Diana Abdul Rahman

Kathryn Kelly of Australians for Peace and Justice for Palestine speaking at our event

One of our speakers and financial supporters of the project, AFIC President Ikebal Patel, His Excellency Dr. Izzat Abdul Hadi, Charge D'Affairs of the Palestinian Delegation to Australia and Sh. Dr. Fedaa Majzoub

Rev. Gregor Henderson, Bishop Pat Power and Sh. Dr. Fedaa Majzoub

Rev. Gregor Henderson and Imam Dr. Fedaa Majzoub

Sh. Dr. Fedaa Majzoub

Some of the volunteers on the day

K Trad and master of ceremonies Diana Abdul Rahman, we are grateful to Diana for her invaluable assistance to the project.

K Trad and art for earth artist Jorge Pujol, Jorge worked for days to calculate and outline the candle art and supervise the project.

Another aerial photo by Stefan Postles, this is what four thousand candles can do.

A photo from the 15 meter cherry picker.

Some of the young people supporting the protest, the banner disappeared, whoever has it, please return it.

An aerial shot of the candles by Stefan Postles.

K Trad with artist Jorge Pujol lighting the first candle.

Australian of Gazan origin Tasneem Sammak who flew from melbourne to Canberra to join us in support of the people of Gaza at the Candle Art Project.

Three of the speakers, Uniting Church National Moderator Rev. Gregor Henderson, Catholic Aux. Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn Pat Power and Imam Dr. Fedaa Majzoub