Adelaide Crows veteran Taylor Walker has partnered with a leading figure in the city’s hospitality scene to open one of Adelaide’s newest dining spots, according to The Advertiser.
Walker and his wife Ellie are among the part-owners of Omada Bar and Grill, a Greek-inspired restaurant launched by prominent South Australian restaurateur Simon Kardachi.
Kardachi is known for several well-regarded Adelaide venues, including Osteria Oggi, Shobosho, Fugazzi Bar & Dining Room and Latteria.
According to ASIC documents, the Walkers are among multiple shareholders in the restaurant, which is located on the corner of Leigh and Currie streets in Adelaide’s CBD. Walker, 35, has been promoting the venue on social media since its soft opening in December.
The restaurant, led by chef Andy Ferrara, has already received strong feedback from diners, including praise from Australian comedian Peter Helliar. Helliar visited the restaurant while in Adelaide for the Fringe festival.
The venture is not Walker’s first experience in the hospitality industry. The former Adelaide Crows captain was previously involved as a part-owner of The Alma Tavern in Norwood alongside former teammates Mark Ricciuto, Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield. Both Kardachi and Walker declined to comment when approached.
When the restaurant first opened, Kardachi said the idea came from seeing an opportunity for high-quality Greek cuisine in Adelaide’s CBD. “We’ve seen that amongst the rest of the Australian restaurant industry, Greek restaurants have really flourished,” he said.
“We jumped at the chance to take this flagship site at the head of Leigh Street and believe it will help to further cement the street as the premier restaurant strip in Adelaide.”
The menu focuses on traditional Greek flavours, offering meze plates such as taramasalata served with house-made pita, sesame, honey and kolouri, as well as salt-cured bonito with olive oil, lemon and onion. Larger dishes include dolmades with hand-cut beef and cabbage, chargrilled octopus with Greek salsa and spit-roast pork gyros.
Olive oil tourism (oleotourism) attracts increasing numbers of visitors who seek authentic experiences in olive oil producing countries. This type of sustainable alternative tourism focuses on tradition, tasting, discovery, and hands-on experiences in rural areas. The International Olive Council organized an international webinar to explore it with experts.
Olive oil tourism is “a new model of sustainable tourism” that aims to share “the excellence of extra virgin olive oil and other olive products” with travelers, according to International Olive Council Deputy Executive Director Dr. Abderraouf Laajimi. At the intersection of tradition and innovation, he added, oleotourism promotes “olive culture throughout the Mediterranean basin and the world.” Laajimi pointed out oleotourism’s connections to gastronomy, agriculture, landscape, culture, heritage, history, and rural development.
Olive oil tourism can involve a wide variety of activities
Olive oil tastings led by experts
Tours of traditional and modern mills
Olive oil menus and food pairings with chefs
Olive picking and observation of oil production
Area tours focused on olive oil and local products
Olive farm and village stays
Cultural events at olive mills
Visits to ancient olive trees
Farm-to-table experiences
Olive oil museum visits
Picnics in olive groves
Olive oil soap making
Cooking lessons
These examples from the island of Crete in Greece were provided by Eleftheria Mamidaki, manager of Anoskeli winery and olive oil mill and chairperson of the Association of Olive Mills of Chania, Crete. At the webinar, Mamidaki explained that Crete offers olive oil tourism experiences at more than 130 agrotourism establishments. She discussed Crete’s oleotourism offerings, potential, and strategy “as the paradigm for unlocking the potential of olive oil tourism across Greece.”
Olive oil tourism embraces history, heritage, gastronomy, and agriculture
The declaration of Crete as a European Region of Gastronomy for 2026 offers an excellent opportunity, Mamidaki suggested, to highlight olive oil tourism there. With the traditional, olive-oil-rich Mediterranean diet declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, its Cretan version has repeatedly been recognized as one of the world’s healthiest eating patterns. As Mamidaki pointed out, this enables Cretans to link “our cultural past to the modern health and food tourism markets.” The olive oil sector is the largest contributor to Crete’s agricultural economy, and Crete itself is a world-famous tourist destination. So the island’s olive oil tourism is anchored in thriving industries.
Benefits of oleotourism for visitors, producers, and communities
“Economically supports rural and local producers, through new income streams and complementary activities, reducing seasonal fluctuations by encouraging year-round tourism.”
“Provides cultural and environmental protection by promoting a deeper understanding of sustainable olive oil culture, traditional production methods, and environmental care.”
Fosters “sustainable tourism focused on authentic, hands-on experiences based on high-quality products.”
Strengthens “the connection between consumers and producers while enhancing appreciation for high-quality olive oils and their role in gastronomy and diets.”
Webinar speakers agreed that olive oil tourism can offer numerous advantages, with the International Olive Council’s Laajimi emphasizing the four main benefits above.
Keynote speaker Sandra Carvao, Director of Market Intelligence, Policies and Competitiveness at UN Tourism, emphasized the importance of the rural development that olive oil tourism can help stimulate. She reported that more than 80% of impoverished people worldwide live in rural areas, which also host 80% of the world’s biodiversity. With some help, Carvao said, “farmers can be guardians of land preservation to fight climate change,” as rural communities are reinvigorated.
Interest, challenges, solutions: collaboration and planning for oleotourism
Travelers to Europe have recently shown noteworthy interest in trips focused on food and wine, farm stays, food sustainability, longevity, authenticity, heritage, and natural landscapes, according to Professor Roberta Garibaldi—all potential aspects of olive oil tourism. However, the webinar speakers noted that there is room for improvement, for example in infrastructure such as roads and signs in some areas. Like other speakers, Laajimi acknowledged that oleotourism’s potential difficulties involve investment costs, seasonality, and pressure on the environment and communities.
Several speakers emphasized that planning, coordination, training, and collaboration are essential to make oleotourism work well, with manageable numbers of visitors. Collaboration among government officials, restaurant and hotel owners, tour operators, olive oil companies, and other members of the community can help improve the olive oil tourism experience for both visitors and locals. Of course, promotion is also important, especially on social media and websites. Compelling narratives can engage travelers, and positive reviews of olive oil tourism activities can encourage more visitors.
Olive oil tourism success stories worldwide
Olive oil professionals from Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, and Spain described a number of successful oleotourism examples. Miguel Zuccardi revealed that his team lets visitors to their groves in Argentina pick olives, take them to a special milling machine, and bottle their own olive oil to take home. Bob Costa said visitors to his facilities in Brazil “can take a sensorial dive into a new universe.” Discovering “what truly fresh oil is,” he added, can stimulate “enchantment.” Their new understanding “gets people to look for quality products,” according to Costa, which “has a direct impact on demand” for high-quality olive oil.
Filipa Velez said her team often teaches children about olive oil in Portugal. She believes children turn out to be “the best educators of all,” because they share what they learn with their families. Ana Carrilho pointed out that well-trained olive oil tourism guides should teach visitors about biodiversity, olive oil production, storage, freshness, flavors, food pairing, and more, so newly educated consumers can “become ambassadors” for high-quality olive oil worldwide.
*Originally published on Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (greekliquidgold.com). See that site for recipes with olive oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and food tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and information.
Poland has agreed to return more than 90 Greek Jewish religious artefacts that were stolen during the Nazi occupation of Greece, according to the Greek Culture Ministry.
The collection includes 91 objects that were taken from synagogues and Jewish households in Greece by the Nazi-era Rosenberg Taskforce, an organisation responsible for confiscating cultural property across occupied Europe during World War II.
According to ekathimerini.com, among the items are 46 liturgical textiles, 17 pairs of Torah scrolls, nine individual Torah scrolls or fragments, and a pair of decorative hanging ornaments used in religious settings.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni travelled to Warsaw on Wednesday to formally receive the artefacts. She described their return as an important step in restoring historical justice and noted that it marks the first time Poland has repatriated cultural property to its country of origin.
“These relics … are part of the living memory of my country and of Jewish Greeks,” Mendoni said, highlighting their deep connection to Jewish communities that were destroyed during the Holocaust.
Polish Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska also described the return as “a historic moment,” noting that the process was completed in under two years thanks to cooperation between the cultural authorities of both countries.
The artefacts were located after World War II in castles in the Lower Silesia region, where the Nazis had stored looted property. In 1951 they were transferred to the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw. Greece first formally requested their return in 2001.
The new digital platform railway.gov.gr, designed to monitor Greece’s railway network, has been launched. The system introduces a unified platform that allows continuous tracking of trains across the country, according to amna.gr
Greece becomes the first country to implement a nationwide railway monitoring system that combines high-precision satellite technologies to track train movement in real time.
For the first time, the public will be able to view live train activity, beginning with services operating on the Athens–Thessaloniki main rail corridor.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis stated that citizens will initially be able to monitor passenger trains running on the Athens–Thessaloniki route, with the platform expanding over the next two months to cover the entire national railway network.
By the end of March 2026, all trains operating along the line from Piraeus to Greece’s northern border will be equipped with satellite tracking devices. Installation of the system across the entire railway network is expected to be completed by the end of April 2026.
Each train will carry a high-precision satellite tracking unit connected to railway.gov.gr. The system uses Greece’s HEPOS positioning network together with the European Galileo satellite navigation system to provide accurate location data.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the platform incorporates seven of the seventeen safety recommendations identified in the railway accident investigation report.
The new platform also aims to increase transparency by giving users access to a live map displaying train locations, speeds, travel direction, estimated arrival times, delay updates, and an overview of railway traffic across the network.
Leslie “Les” Cook, believed to be the last surviving ANZAC who fought in the Battle of Crete during World War II, has died aged 103, prompting tributes from both the Australian and Greek communities.
Mr Cook, who celebrated his 103rd birthday in January, was recognised as an honorary life member of both the Hellenic Club of Canberra and the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra (GOCCC) in acknowledgement of his service and sacrifices for Australia and Greece.
“May your memory be eternal – forever a hero to both Australia and Greece,” John Loukadellis, President of the GOCCC, said on social media.
Born in Herefordshire, England, in 1923, Mr Cook migrated to Australia as a young child and grew up on a dairy farm in Gippsland, Victoria. At just 17 years old, he enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force in May 1940 and served with the 2/14th Battalion as a signaller.
Les Cook as a soldier (left) and at a memorial in Canberra (right)
In March 1941, he landed in Greece as part of the Allied campaign against Nazi forces and fought alongside Greek, Australian and New Zealand troops during the Battle of Crete. The campaign was marked by limited equipment and intense aerial bombardment as German forces dominated the skies.
Following the battle, Mr Cook continued serving in several theatres during the war, including North Africa, Syria, New Guinea and Japan, before returning to Australia in 1947.
After the war, he built a career in the Australian Public Service, where he worked until his retirement in 1981. He remained active well into his later years and was widely respected within the Greek Australian community for his connection to Greece and the shared wartime history between the two nations.
Mr Cook leaves behind three daughters and a lasting legacy as one of the last living links to the Battle of Crete and the wartime alliance between Australia and Greece.
At just 25 years old, Melina Haritopoulou-Sinanidou is already working at the forefront of medical research, pursuing a PhD in neuroimmunology and neurotrauma aimed at improving recovery outcomes after spinal cord injury.
Born and raised in Greece before migrating to Australia, she has already gained experience at some of the country’s most respected research institutions, including the Peter Doherty Institute and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
Alongside her scientific work, Melina will also join the panel at the Greek Festival of Sydney’s ‘Balance the Scales’ event this International Women’s Day, supported by The Greek Herald, bringing her perspective as a young woman navigating science, migration and ambition.
For Melina, the foundations of her journey were laid long before she entered a laboratory.
Growing up in Greece during a period of economic instability shaped her outlook on resilience and opportunity. Education was highly valued, but the path to success often required extra effort beyond the classroom.
“My education was defined by a contradictory system where public schooling is a right, but success required private supplementary tutoring,” she tells The Greek Herald. “This taught me early on that to succeed, going the extra mile is needed.”
Melina was born and raised in Greece before migrating to Australia.
At the same time, she says the wider economic climate forced young people to become adaptable and resourceful.
“People in Greece deal with high youth unemployment and an insecure future. Growing up with this future in store for me taught me resilience and caused me to think critically outside the box and to remain adaptable when the ‘standard’ path fails. In Australia, these traits have been my greatest assets,” she says.
Yet pursuing a career in science as a woman also came with its own expectations.
“Greece still holds relatively traditional values, and as a woman pursuing a career in STEM I learned to work twice as hard to ensure expertise wasn’t overshadowed by gendered assumptions,” she says.
“This ‘prove-them-wrong’ mentality has been essential in my PhD journey, where I’ve had to maintain high-level research ambitions while navigating the financial and mental pressures of the current academic landscape.”
Finding her footing in a new country
Migrating to Australia brought new opportunities but also significant adjustment.
“The pace, communication style, and expectations around professionalism felt very different,” Melina recalls. “I was used to being direct and fast-paced, whereas here that can sometimes be perceived as intense or even rude.”
As a migrant woman, she also became aware of subtle expectations around behaviour in professional spaces.
“There were expectations around being agreeable and consistently positive, which did not always align with me,” she says.
Melina with her mum Mary.
Over time, however, she realised that the very traits she initially tried to soften were strengths.
“Although I initially tried to tone down what people described as my ‘Greek personality’, I came to see it as a strength. I stopped trying to seek approval and instead focused on my work, gaining new experiences and building skills,” Melina says.
Australia’s multicultural research environment ultimately helped her establish strong networks.
“Science is inherently collaborative, so over time I was able to build strong professional and personal connections,” she says.
A defining moment in the lab
While studying at university, Melina experienced a moment that confirmed she belonged in research.
After her first year, she felt uncertain about her academic path. Coursework felt repetitive and the practical components had yet to spark her curiosity.
That changed when she secured an internship at the Peter Doherty Institute during her second year.
“I was fortunate to be accepted at the bioinformatics lab under the mentorship of Dr Sebastian Duchene,” she says.
Although coding was outside her comfort zone, the experience proved transformative.
“He created an environment where I was able to not only learn, but grow and be innovative. Contributing to work that later became part of a publication was incredibly exciting, especially as an undergraduate student,” she says.
Being included in published research helped open doors and reinforced her confidence.
“That experience reassured me that I belonged in research, and that I was capable of succeeding even in areas I initially found challenging,” she says.
Research with real-world impact
Today, Melina’s doctoral research focuses on the complex immune responses that occur following spinal cord injury — work that could have meaningful implications for patient recovery.
“My research focuses on understanding how the immune system responds after injury and how that response can either help or worsen damage, and how we can modulate this to find effective therapies,” she explains.
Even modest medical advances could dramatically improve quality of life for patients.
“From a patient perspective, even small improvements can greatly reduce hospital visits, reliance on carers, and the incidence of secondary health problems,” Melina says.
Melina with her sister Zoe, who is also in STEM.
By studying how immune cells contribute to nerve cell loss and scar tissue formation, researchers hope to better understand when scarring begins and how it might be targeted.
Her team is also exploring new gene-editing methodologies that could accelerate the discovery of treatment targets.
“We hope that this will lead to the discovery of treatments that help better recovery and will improve patient lives,” she says.
Navigating the invisible labour
Like many women in science, Melina says professional achievement often comes with additional, less visible expectations.
“Invisible labour exists,” she says. “There’s the assumption that women will be the ‘natural’ choice for emotional support, administrative assistance, or maintaining a positive department culture,” she says.
While these contributions are often praised, she notes they can place a heavy burden on time and mental wellbeing.
“Early in my career, I felt the pressure to say ‘yes’ to everything to avoid being labelled as difficult,” she says.
Over time, she learned the importance of setting boundaries.
“My primary commitment is to my research and I have learned to contribute to the ‘extras’ only when I have the genuine capacity, rather than out of a sense of guilt or social pressure,” she says.
Holding those boundaries can sometimes create tension, she admits, but it is essential for sustaining a career in high-pressure research environments.
Recognition and renewed confidence
Last year, Melina and her sister Zoe were recognised with The Greek Herald’s Woman to Watch Award, an honour that arrived during a particularly demanding stage of her PhD.
“Receiving the award was both an honour and a surprise, particularly as it came at a time when I was feeling burnt out and questioning myself,” she says.
Melina and her sister Zoe won The Greek Herald’s ‘Woman to Watch’ Award in 2025. Photo: Effy Alexakis.
Recognition from outside the academic world helped restore her perspective.
“That recognition, coming from outside the academic environment, allowed me to step back and appreciate that my work had impact beyond my own research circle,” she says.
Sharing the recognition with her sister – who also works in science – made the moment even more meaningful.
“As the older sister, I’m conscious that she may look to me as an example, but I never want her to measure her achievements against mine. Success isn’t about being ahead of one another, but about supporting each other as we carve our own paths,” she says.
Advice for the next generation
Looking ahead, Melina hopes more young Hellenic women – particularly migrants or daughters of migrants – will consider careers in science.
“A career in science can be very rewarding. You are constantly learning, intellectually challenged, and given the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives,” she says.
Studying in Australia has allowed her to access opportunities she might not have found elsewhere, including international conferences and global research collaborations.
“Science is built on collaboration,” she says. “At almost every conference, I’ve met fellow Greeks who are not only accomplished but also generous with their time and advice – there is a genuine sense of camaraderie.”
Her advice to young women considering the field is simple: stay grounded in your own priorities and seek strong mentors early.
“Success is not only about choosing the most impressive project, but about finding the right environment – one that offers the support and encouragement you need to thrive,” she says.
As she continues her research journey, Melina’s story reflects the powerful intersection of migration, determination and scientific discovery – a reminder that resilience, curiosity and community can open doors far beyond the laboratory.
Oakleigh Grammar celebrated its top academic performers at the Academic Awards Assembly, recognising the exceptional achievements and dedication of students during 2025.
The assembly also aimed to inspire current Middle and Senior School students about the importance of aspiring to academic excellence, reinforcing Oakleigh Grammar’s achievement of its highest academic ranking in the history of the school.
Principal Mark Robertson.
Mattea Georges, the 2025 School Dux, achieved an outstanding ATAR of 96.95, with study scores of 45 in Biology and English. She is currently studying a Double Degree in Biomedicine and Engineering.
Mattea reflected on the significance of this achievement in her own words: “Receiving the call informing me that I was the Dux of Oakleigh Grammar came as a huge surprise; it was an achievement I had never imagined I could reach.”
She added: “Being named Dux gave me the opportunity to make my pappou, who unfortunately passed in August before the ATAR was released, proud. This was a dream he had for me from the beginning: to do well at school, exceed expectations, and always strive to achieve my best.
“Throughout the year, he was my strongest supporter and ultimately my greatest motivation to pursue a career in the medical field, helping people as he once hoped I would. Being Dux of Oakleigh Grammar also meant giving back to a family and community that nurtured and guided me from a young age, always encouraging me to reach my fullest potential.”
In addition to Mattea, 15 students from the Class of 2025 were recognised for their outstanding academic results in 2025, with many achieving top study scores of 40 and above:
Anastasia Apos – Legal Studies 40
Mary Alexopoulos – English 42, General Mathematics 43
Mattea Georges – Biology 45, English 45
Mikayla Haralambakis – Visual Communication Design 42
Adhitya Karthik – English 41
Alexander Korlos – English 40
Elias Koskiniotis – Physical Education 44
Helen Kousourakis – English 41
Mugdhasri Maddali – English 41
Kristina Pezos – English 42
Abdullah Saddiq – General Mathematics 41
Manni Talias – English 40
U Samita Upadhyaya – English 43
Louise Wang – General Mathematics 44
Five students who completed Year 11 in 2025 and are now in Year 12 were also recognised for achieving top study scores:
Nathanael Anastasiou – Greek 47, Media 41
Jared Bombos – Business Management 40
Benjamin Carmody – General Mathematics 47
Elena Draganic – Serbian 43
Paschalis Grigoropoulos – Business Management 41
Mr Lance Ryan, Assistant Principal – Academic, commented, “It is a privilege to acknowledge the strong academic achievement of our students at Oakleigh Grammar. These results reflect disciplined effort, high standards, and a school culture that takes learning seriously, supported by the dedication of our teachers who guide and challenge our students to pursue excellence.”
The assembly celebrated the talent, resilience, and focus of Oakleigh Grammar’s students. As a proud open-entry school, Oakleigh Grammar’s aspirational culture continues to inspire students to strive for excellence in 2026 and beyond while making the community proud.
The President of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Theo Theophanous, has expressed concern over attacks linked to Iran and its proxy group Hezbollah targeting the British military base at RAF Akrotiri.
In a public statement, Theophanous said the ongoing strikes are causing alarm among Australian Cypriots, noting that the base is located near heavily populated areas.
“The attacks on the British Base are continuing. But they are not only attacks on British facilities, infrastructure and personnel. They are attacks on Cypriot citizens and Cyprus itself,” he said.
Theophanous highlighted that thousands of Cypriot civilians live or work in the areas surrounding the base. According to estimates cited in the statement, around 18,000 personnel are located in the base areas, including approximately 12,000 Cypriot citizens, meaning more Cypriots could be at risk than British personnel.
He also warned that the base is situated close to the city of Limassol, a major population centre of around 250,000 residents, raising concerns about the potential impact of further attacks.
The statement also referenced comments attributed to Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who reportedly warned of further missile strikes against Cyprus if foreign military activity continued.
For the large Cypriot community in Melbourne, Theophanous said the situation is reviving painful memories of past conflict on the island.
“For the large Cyprus Community in Melbourne this is creating fear and relived trauma as sirens and explosions are heard in Cyprus that remind of the Turkish invasion and conflict in Cyprus that divided the island,” he said, referring to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
Theophanous added that the latest developments come at a delicate time for the island, as efforts continue toward reunification between the Greek Cypriot south and the Turkish Cypriot north. He said the current attacks risk undermining those efforts and called on Turkey to also condemn the strikes, noting they could affect Turkish Cypriots as well.
The Embassy of Greece in Canberra and the Office for Economy and Trade in Sydney, in partnership with Business Sydney, the Honorary Consulate General of Greece in Queensland and Enterprise Greece, successfully hosted a high-level webinar today titled “Business Opportunities arising from the Olympic Games Procurement Program (Brisbane 2032)”.
The event brought together senior government officials, representatives from the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI), industry leaders and representatives from the construction and infrastructure sectors in both Greece and Australia to explore the significant commercial opportunities linked to the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.
With Queensland committing approximately AUD 7.1 billion toward the construction of seven new stadiums and the renovation of ten existing venues, Brisbane 2032 represents one of the largest infrastructure programs in Australia’s history. The initiative is expected to generate substantial opportunities across infrastructure works, building materials, engineering, consulting, technology and technical services.
Executive Director of Business Sydney, Paul Nicolaou, opened the webinar by highlighting the scale of opportunity emerging from Brisbane’s Games preparations and the importance of strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between Greece and Australia.
The event brought together leaders in both Greece and Australia to explore the significant commercial opportunities linked to the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.
The Ambassador of Greece to Australia, His Excellency Stavros Venizelos, addressed participants via video message, reaffirming Greece’s strong interest in supporting Greek enterprises to engage with major international projects and deepen economic cooperation with Australia.
The Honorary Consul General of Greece in Queensland and CEO of Aniko Group, George D. Mastrocostas, provided an in-depth overview of Queensland’s dynamic construction market. He outlined practical market entry strategies for Greek firms and emphasised the scale of the state’s infrastructure pipeline, which is projected to grow significantly through 2027.
Mr Mastrocostas also noted current sector challenges including rising construction costs, labour shortages and productivity pressures, particularly in Brisbane where demand remains strong.
Dr Marinos Giannopoulos, CEO of Enterprise Greece, highlighted the growing international footprint of Greek construction and engineering companies. He noted their expanding presence across Europe, the Middle East and in energy infrastructure projects, underscoring their capability to compete in complex global markets such as Australia.
Participants also heard from key Australian procurement and infrastructure leaders involved in the delivery of Brisbane 2032:
Mr Warren Jansen, CEO of ICN National Office, presented the Industry Capability Network’s national procurement platform, which will facilitate access to Games-related supply chain opportunities by breaking large contracts into accessible packages for suppliers.
Mr Robert McRuvie, Director of Procurement for the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee, outlined the strategic approach to procurement planning, tendering, supplier engagement and legacy outcomes.
Mr Stephen Conry AM, Chairman of the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA), detailed the governance and oversight framework guiding the delivery of Games venues and associated infrastructure to ensure long-term benefits for Queensland.
The webinar’s closing remarks reinforcing the shared commitment to fostering trade, investment and collaboration between Greek and Australian businesses.
The event marked an important step in positioning Greek companies to participate in one of the most significant infrastructure programs of the coming decade, while further strengthening the longstanding economic and cultural ties between Greece and Australia.
On Thursday evening, 5 March 2026, the auditorium of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria was filled to capacity as attendees gathered for the first instalment in the Community’s History and Culture Lecture Series for 2026.
The evening’s speaker, author, lawyer and cultural commentator Dean Kalimniou, delivered a lecture devoted to the life and political legacy of the Greek statesman and soldier Nikolaos Plastiras.
Kalimniou’s presentation, sub-titled “To what extent can the military act as the conscience or safeguard of a democratic system?” invited the audience to consider one of the most enduring dilemmas of modern political life: whether the armed forces can ever legitimately act as a moral corrective within a democratic state.
Through the complex and often contradictory life of Plastiras, Kalimniou explored the tension between martial virtue and democratic ethics, examining how one individual could simultaneously embody courage, conscience and political ambiguity.
Drawing upon historical sources and contemporary scholarship, the lecture traced Plastiras’ transformation from the legendary “Black Rider” of the Balkan Wars into a revolutionary leader after the Asia Minor Catastrophe and later a statesman who sought reconciliation in the aftermath of civil conflict.
As Kalimniou explained, Plastiras’ career reveals the profound moral challenges faced by leaders in moments of national catastrophe, when the demands of justice, vengeance and mercy compete for primacy.
The lecture argued that Plastiras’ life illustrates the enduring Greek struggle to balance ethical authority with the pragmatic realities of political power, a theme explored throughout the presentation.
Kalimniou’s presentation invited the audience to consider one of the most enduring dilemmas of modern political life.
Delivered with Kalimniou’s characteristic eloquence, the lecture blended historical analysis with moments of humour, philosophical reflection and pointed references to contemporary political figures and situations.
His engaging style, together with his ability to frame historical events within broader moral and political questions, held the audience’s attention throughout the evening and transformed what might have been a purely historical talk into a meditation on leadership and public virtue.
The discussion that followed proved equally stimulating. Members of the audience joined Kalimniou in examining the philosophical dimensions of political authority, drawing upon the political thought of Plato and the psychoanalytic interpretation of courage proposed by Jacques Lacan. Together they explored the qualities required of leaders in democratic societies and reflected upon how courage, integrity and restraint might function in contemporary political life.
By the end of the evening it was clear that the lecture had achieved far more than recounting the biography of a historical figure. Instead, Kalimniou had used the life of Plastiras as a lens through which to examine the moral responsibilities of leadership itself.
The enthusiastic participation of the audience and the lively exchange of ideas that followed confirmed the continuing vitality of the Greek Orthodox Community’s History and Culture series, demonstrating once again its role as an important forum for intellectual engagement within Melbourne’s Greek community.
