Young mum, Natasha Karamanis, who was involved in a horror crash at an intersection in Sydney’s north, has joined hundreds of others in calling for urgent council action.

According to The Daily Telegraph, an online petition calling for an upgrade at Old Pitt Town Road and Terry Road in Box Hill has attracted almost 2000 signatures so far.

It claims the intersection is “dangerous” because of an “overlap” between the right hand turning lanes from Old Pitt Town Road into Fontana Drive and Old Pitt Town Road into Terry Road.

With the opening of nearby school, Sancta Sophia, later this year, residents also expressed their concern over more motorists in the area, particularly those “unfamiliar” with the intersection.

“It just doesn’t sit well with me that we are about to add parents with children attempting to get to school on time, together with large construction trucks trying to navigate this intersection together,” petition organiser, Evana Geering, told The Daily Telegraph.

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

For Natasha Karamanis, she was hospitalised after she was involved in a “pretty bad” crash last Thursday at the same intersection.

The mother-of-four told the newspaper she was driving on Old Pitt Town Road after finishing work at about 5.45pm. As she entered the intersection intending to go straight down Old Pitt Town Road towards Rouse Hill, her blue Toyota Corolla collided with a white SUV which was turning right on Terry Road.

“Before I knew it we hit. I didn’t see her… I think she didn’t see me because of all the cars turning right,” Ms Karamanis said.

“It was lucky because I was doing 60 (in a 70km/h zone). I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if I was doing the speed limit.”

Ms Karamanis was taken to hospital with concussion and required scans for her chest, stomach and leg injuries, The Daily Telegraph reports.

She was released from hospital on Monday with bruises, but said she is still “traumatised” from the crash.

“It took me this to realise what a dangerous intersection it is… With the bank up of cars on opposite sites, you can’t see people going straight,” she said.

A Hills Shire Council spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph it is working with Transport for NSW to upgrade the intersection at Old Pitt Town Road, Terry Road and Fontana Drive in Box Hill.

“Council anticipates the detailed design to be completed in August 2021, and this design includes plans for the installation of traffic signals,” the spokeswoman said.

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

A woman has been arrested for allegedly continuing to operate a business ordered to temporarily close for breaching coronavirus health directions, the ABC reports.

Darwin’s lockdown, imposed to slow a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a remote gold mine, lifted last Friday, but people are still expected to wear masks in confined spaces and check in to businesses.

Northern Territory Police say they visited a Nightcliff business, which the ABC understands to be the Souvlaki Grill and Chill, on Tuesday night to issue a closure notice after “a number of visits” during the week.

Police allege several people were not wearing masks during the Tuesday night visit and there was no way for people to check in to the business, contrary to health directions.

According to the ABC, the business was ordered to temporarily close and fined $25,280.

Despite this, NT police confirmed they returned to the store on Wednesday afternoon and arrested a female employee who they say was continuing to work at the store.

Before the arrest, authorities said the actions that led to the closure notice were disappointing. 

“It is astounding that individuals are still failing to comply with restrictions imposed by the CHO for serious public health concerns,” Incident Controller, Sachin Sharma, said in a statement released before the arrest.

“Shutting down a locally owned business is the very last thing any of us wanted to do at this time.”

Police said the business was given “ample opportunity” to comply with directions throughout the week. It will remain closed until compliance officers are satisfied health directions will be met.

The business declined to comment to the ABC.

Source: ABC News.

A court has heard Forum Finance boss, Bill Papas, who is at the centre of the alleged $250 million Westpac fraud, has booked a flight to return to Australia from Europe on Saturday, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Westpac announced it was investigating a potential serious fraud on Friday, after it said it had discovered loans had been given to its corporate customers using forged signatures and falsified invoices allegedly produced by Forum Finance.

Westpac alleges that it has not been able to contact Mr Papas since June 15, soon after it made inquiries about the potential fraud, the SMH reports.

Panetta Lawyers principal, Rocco Panetta, who has been hired by Mr Papas, told the court on Wednesday he had spoken to his client around five times over the past seven days.

According to the SMH, Mr Panetta said Mr Papas had refused to disclose his exact location or explain whether he intended to defend the allegations against him, but that he had booked a Japan Airways flight back from Athens via Dubai to arrive in Australia on Saturday.

READ MORE: Westpac fraud: Sydney tycoon Bill Papas seen in Greece following fraud investigation.

“I understand he’s in Europe, in transit, making his way back to Australia,” Mr Panetta said. “I understand he was in Greece, I don’t know where he is now, but I think he is moving through other countries to make his way back here.”

When pressed for details of Mr Papas’ overseas travel, including when and why he left Australia and his current location, Mr Panetta said he was stonewalled.

“We did ask, he wouldn’t tell us,” Mr Panetta said.

Westpac has issued freeze orders and search warrants to obtain information related to the alleged fraud, and is now pursuing legal action to have Forum Finance put into provisional liquidation, an emergency measure to protect assets, the SMH reports.

Federal Court Justice, Michael Lee, said he had not made a final decision on the liquidation application, which presented a “serious intrusion” into a company’s affairs but rejected the application to adjourn the Friday hearing.

Mr Papas has been director of Forum Finance since 2011, a Sydney-based firm that leases equipment and provides digital and administration services to third parties.

A number of clients contacted by The Age and Herald, including NYSE-listed manufacturing firm Boston Scientific, said they were surprised by the lawsuit.

“We’ve never experienced any real issues at all,” said Boston Scientific Australian managing director, Martin Baker.

“We use them for pretty basic administration services, like printer management. It’s one of those things where if you’re horrendous at it, you notice but if they do it well, you don’t notice.”

The case continues.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Diaspora Greeks, Konstantinos Vlasis, has addressed the Australian Hellenic community in a special online dialogue series tonight to discuss the digitisation of Consulates, voting rights, the Greek language and a ‘Day of the Geek Diaspora.’

The event, which was organised by Paul Nicolaou, Director, Business Leaders Council, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Christos Karras, the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, was attended digitally by over 100 people from across Australia.

This included, but is not limited to, Mr George Papacostas, the Ambassador of Greece in Australia, Ms Katia Gkikiza, the Trade Commissioner of Greece in Sydney, Ms Georgia Karasiotou, the Consul of Greece in Perth, Mr George Psiachas, the Consul of Greece in Adelaide, other prominent members of Greek community organisations, and distinguished guests.

Mr Bill Papastergiadis, the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, was also in attendance and was given a special mention by Mr Vlasis for his active work in the Australian Hellenic community.

Diaspora voting:

One of the first topics Mr Vlasis touched on during the online talk was ‘diaspora voting,’ which he described as one of his top priorities.

“We consider Greeks abroad an important part of our nation and we want them to be politically aware… and to have a say by voting in national elections,” the Deputy Minister stressed.

READ MORE: Greece vows to abolish all voting restrictions for Greek diaspora.

Mr Vlasis went on to say that although the Greek government faced push back from the Opposition when trying to abolish all voting restrictions of the Greek diaspora, he still hopes all eligible people will vote in the next national election.

As it stands, all Greek citizens living abroad have the right to vote if they can prove that they have lived continuously in Greece for two years in the last 35 years.

“I encourage you all to participate massively,” Mr Vlasis said.

Digitisation of Consulates in Australia:

The Deputy Minister continued his enlightening discussion by touching on his second priority as a Minister – that is, the digitisation of Greek Consulates globally.

Mr Vlasis stressed that in Australia, the digitisation of the Greek Consulates in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth is all underway with the help of a new digital platform called, myConsulLive.

This program offers diaspora a fast and easy way to communicate with officials and apply online for documents and certificates.

READ MORE: Greek Consulate in Perth begins digitisation as part of new Greek pilot program.

“People can get their birth certificates within a few weeks and not a few months, like it is now,” Mr Vlasis said. “We want to cut the red tape… in order to gain citizens’ trust.”

From there, Mr Vlasis went on to say that the Greek government is also working on enabling Consulate staff to physically visit citizens in need.

“[Our staff] will do outreach visits to collect passport applications in remote areas… this shows we remain close to our diaspora in practice,” he said.

The Greek Language and Diaspora Day:

The third and final priority which Mr Vlasis discussed with attendees was the Greek language and how the Greek government is implementing initiatives to maintain it.

Three initiatives described by the Deputy Minister were: (1) the Sta Ellinika app, which is a free digital platform for Greeks abroad to learn about the Greek language, mythology and culture from home, (2) ‘Nostos- The Return’ initiative, where Greek and Cypriot diaspora will visit Egypt to learn about the local expatriate communities, and (3) new university courses which can be studied in Greece in the English language.

“Many young members of the diaspora would like to study in Greece but can’t because they can’t speak Greek,” Mr Vlasis explained.

“But we are more than willing to facilitate the young diaspora of your communities… get in touch with their Greek language.”

On this, Mr Vlasis went on to stress the importance of the youth and, more generally, the Greek diaspora in contributing to the success of Greece and that’s why the government wants to create a ‘Day of the Geek Diaspora’ and is asking people to make submissions on a date.

This day would recognise and honour, on an annual basis, the historical role and valuable contribution of the Greek diaspora in Greece, Mr Vlasis said.

“We have had a huge amount of submissions so far… Greeks can boast of having ingenious ideas once again,” he said.

Mr Vlasis, who was celebrating his birthday, concluded the talk by stressing to the Greek diaspora that “we want you back.” The over 100 participants then finished up the event by singing him happy birthday.

READ MORE: Greek government calls for public submissions on date for Greek Diaspora Day.

The president of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Community in Brisbane has sought to clarify which of its venues have been exposed to COVID-19. 

Michael-Angelo Anastas is the President of the Greek Orthodox Community in St. George and says the organisation has been the victim of confused public health messaging. 

“[The Queensland Government] refer to it as the community centre, and they shouldn’t be referring to it as that,” Mr Anastas said, clarifying “it’s the administration building on Browning Street which sits on the street opposite to where The Greek Club is.” 

Mr. Anastas’ comments follow the blur that’s been caused since the Queensland Government’s listed the administration building as ‘Greek community centre’. 

He says the listing was inaccurate as there has been no exposures associated with The Greek Club, church or childcare buildings. 

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young confirmed Queensland Health would update its information. 

“The Metro South Public Health Unit (PHU) has today clarified with the Director of the Greek Orthodox Community of St George about concerns relating to the naming convention on the Queensland Health contact tracing website,” Dr Young said. 

“Information on the website will be updated to reflect that only the Administrative Building within the complex was affected and considered to be an exposure venue. I can confirm that other buildings within the centre are not a venue of concern at this moment.”

About 80 staff and volunteers from the Greek Orthodox Community of St George’s administration building are isolating after being deemed close contacts of two diagnosed cases. 

They all have tested negative. 

“They are doing well, looking after their safety and wellbeing is the main thing. We’re looking at ways to support them and make sure they can get through the 14 days or however long Queensland Health wants them to remain that way,” Mr. Anastas said.

Source: Courier Mail 

Grieving relatives of the 45 elderly Greek Australians who died from COVID-19 at a St Basil’s aged care home in Fawkner, operated by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, say that a one-year memorial service is the first meaningful contact they’ve had from the home. 

Father Evmenios Vasilopoulos, chair of St Basil’s Homes for the Aged, invited the families to the service to take place at the end of the month. 

The letter said the home extended their “deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends, residents and staff” affected by the deaths, according to a report from The Age. 

In July last year, 94 of the 117 mostly Greek and Serbian-born residents, and close to 80% of its staff members, were infected after COVID-19 spread uncontrolled throughout the home in Fawkner. 

Relatives who spoke to The Age on Monday said they were disappointed the offer to attend a one-year memorial service was the first meaningful contact they’d had from St Basil’s since their parents had died.

Source: The Age