[6][1] His father Zihni Jusuf Buzo (1912-2006) was from Berat, Albania, an American Harvard University graduate and civil engineer of Albanian origin.
[2] Buzo started acting with the inner Sydney New Theatre company after being inspired by director Aarne Neeme and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
[4] Norm and Ahmed was written in 1968 after his friend Pakistani student Mohammed Kazim ("Kaz") was harassed in a pub by an older white Australian.
[11][16][4] The play explored issues of racism within Australia and was a one act drama centred on two characters, the Anglo-Australian engineer Norm and a Pakistani student Ahmed at a bus stop.
[19][20] Other plays explored similar themes regarding social alienation and the pursuit of individuals seeking to attain and find purpose in a world that prevents it from happening like Martello Towers in 1976 and Makassar Reef in 1978.
[21][22][4] Buzo was one of the early playwrights of the New Wave group to gain international attention for Makassar Reef, Rooted and Tom, being well received in the US.
[24][11] In later years Buzo wrote fiction including prose and topics covered ranged from the misusage of everyday language to sport.
[21] Books he wrote on the Australian language and life that achieved popularity were Tautology and Meet the New Class both in 1981, Glancing Blows in 1987, The Young Persons Guide to the Theatre in 1988, Kiwese in 1994 and A Dictionary of the Almost Obvious in 1998.
He wrote many witty and insightful books on Australian life, language and sport,[4] and his articles on many varied subjects including reviews and travel writing were published in all the major newspapers and magazines in Australia.
[21][11][5] Buzo was married for forty years to Merelyn Johnson ("Jock"), an art teacher from Armidale and the couple had three daughters, Emma, Laura and Genevieve and several grandchildren.
[1][11] He supported the North Sydney Bears (later known as the Northern Eagles) and participated in the failed campaign to stop its demotion from the National Rugby League.
It is dedicated to fostering the same level of excellence Buzo achieved in his career in contemporary Australian literature through innovative programs of theatre, education and training.