In Parliament this week, Dr Fiona Martin MP, Federal Member for Reid, and Maria Vamvakinou MP, Federal Member for Calwell, came together to discuss their roles as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Australia-Greece Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Dr Martin, Chair, and Ms Vamvakinou, Deputy Chair of the Australia-Greece Parliamentary Friendship Group both said they look forward to continuing the longstanding bilateral relationship between Australia and Greece. Both MPs are delighted by the support from other Federal MPs and Senators who are wanting to be members of this group and look forward to officially launching the group in the 46th Parliament.
In her first term in parliament, Dr Martin is looking forward to representing her Greek heritage in Parliament. The Greek Australian Federal MP is the daughter of George Barbouttis who played for Pan Hellenic, now Sydney Olympic and was a member of the Socceroos squad in the early 70’s. Reid has a large Greek Australian community with strong ties to their Orthodox faith, Hellenic history and cultural heritage.
Ms Vamvakinou has been a long advocate for Australia-Greece bilateral relations in Federal Parliament, and has been Chair and Deputy Chair of this group in previous parliaments. She is also the first Greek born Federal Member of Parliament. Ms Vamvakinou was also the co-chair of the inaugural Greek Ministerial Consultative Committee under the Rudd-Gillard Government – a committee made up of prominent Greek Australians advising the government on issues affecting their community.
