NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has revitalised his frontbench ahead of the 2023 election, elevating Miranda MP Eleni Petinos and eight other ministers to cabinet.
Eleni Petinos was named as the new Minister for Small Business and Minister for Fair Trading. Oatley MP Mark Coure will take over as Minister for Multiculturalism, also becoming Minister for Seniors.
There are other seven first-time ministers in the new cabinet include:Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman, Natasha Maclaren-Jones MLC, Cootamundra Nationals MP Steph Cooke, Manly MP James Griffin, Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders, Ben Franklin MLC and Sam Farraway MLC.
Oatley MP Mark Coure.
Mr Perrottet’s cabinet includes the new portfolios of Minister for Cities (Pittwater MP Rob Stokes), Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology (Ku-ring-gai MP Alister Henskens) and Minister for Homes (Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts).
The Premier said the new ministry “harnesses experience, while allowing for renewal and injecting fresh energy into the team”.
“This is a cabinet with a purpose, carefully shaped to deliver on our vision, and my expectation is that every minister will work hard and get outcomes for the people of our state,” Mr Perrottet said.
Premier Dominic Perrottet. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone
“Our focus remains on getting the people of NSW back on their feet and we will be with them every step of the way as we navigate our way through the pandemic.”
The police portfolio will return to the NSW Nationals as Police Minister David Elliott will take on the Minister for Transport role.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said he was proud of the new Nationals talent coming through the party’s ranks, adding: “I know they are going to bring fresh ideas to our government and throw all their energy into helping us build a bigger, brighter future in the regions.”
The Greek Jewish community is celebrating the return of a trove of manuscripts and community documents that the Nazis stole nearly 80 years ago.
The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS) announced in a statement earlier this month that Russia, which was in possession of the archives, had agreed to return them to their Mediterranean origin, after a diplomatic process supported by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Nazis looted Thessaloniki, formerly home to one of Europe’s most vibrant Jewish communities, on July 11, 1942. The Soviet Union came into possession of the archive after their capture of the city on April 23, 1945. They took them to Moscow where they remained to be inherited by the Russian federation, after the USSR’s dissolution in 1991.
In pre-war Thessaloniki, the Capon family gathers for a festive afternoon at a taverna. Third from the left is Lina, with her sister Alice just behind her. Their father Hasdai is in front on the right, with their mother Vida beside him. Photo: Greece-is
“Our history returns home!” the Board wrote in the statement. “Greek Jews with immense emotion welcome the decision of the Russian President Putin that Russia returns the pre-War archives of the Greek Jewish Communities, and especially the archive of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki.”
According to KIS, the archives include books and religious artifacts from 30 synagogues, libraries, and communal institutions in Thessaloniki.
Before the Holocaust, Thessaloniki was one of the most Jewish cities in Europe with a Jewish majority or plurality for much of the 19th century. The city’s Jewish community was primarily Sephardic, though it also included a small community of Romaniotes, Judeo-Greek speakers from Greece and Turkey who predated the Sephardic migration to the area after their expulsions from Spain in 1492.
During the spring and summer months of 1943, almost all of Thessaloniki’s Jews were deported to Auschwitz, where most perished.
“For Greek Jewry, these archives bring light to its historic course, sacred heirlooms of the light of life and the darkness of the looting and the Holocaust,” KIS said. “Their restitution would mean justice and would transmit knowledge about a part of the Greek people that contributed to the progress of the country and no longer exists, that of the 60,000 Greek Jews who were deported to and exterminated in the Nazi death camps.”
Greek opposition leader Alexis Tsipras made a bold call for the resignation of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, saying he has failed to manage the COVID-19 situation in the country.
The claim was made during the 2022 budget debate, with the SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader saying the government has proved “ineffective” and “incapable” of managing the country’s big problems.
“The Tsiodras-Lytras study alone would have been enough — ignoring the experts which cost thousands of lives, but also the lies that followed its publication — for any government of another European country to resign,” he said, referring to a study by Sotiris Tsiodras which found that intubation outside ICU has a mortality rate of 87%.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrives for an EU Summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. (Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool Photo via AP)
“And there’s only the way out of the current impasse. Resign, Mr. Mitsotakis. Call elections.”
Mitsotakis ruled out the possibility of early elections, also challenging the opposition leader saying SYRIZA’s low polling statistics meant Tsipras had “the most to lose” from an early election.
This didn’t deter Tsipras, however, who called on Greeks to “resist the politics of arrogance, corruption and decay you represent.”
Greek Parliament: INTIME
“I call on the Greeks to demand that the government of the guilty leave. I call on the Greeks to impose their constitutional right to decide for themselves about their own tomorrow,” the Syriza leader said.
The Parliament approved Greece’s 2022 budget 158-142 Saturday, with only the ruling conservative New Democracy party voting for the budget as a whole.
The Parliament Speaker noted that the 5-day budget debate lasted over 61 hours, with 225 MPs and 36 ministers speaking.
Young students from the Greek School of Canberra dressed up in Christmas hats and elf ears to celebrate the end of term this week.
The special Christmas party was held to celebrate the students’ achievements over the past year and to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Greek school teachers.
All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The event began with a small prayer from Father Petros Kipouros, the parish priest at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Canberra, followed by the recital of the Greek and Australian national anthems.
President of the Greek Orthodox Community & Church of Canberra (GOCCC), John Loukadellis, then gave a small speech to the students and congratulated them on their achievements.
Mr Loukadellis also gave an update on the Greek School, stressing how enrolments have grown to over 140 children this year. For the first time ever, there are students with one or no parents of Greek background enrolled.
One of these students, Nausica, who has part-Japanese heritage, told The Greek Herald at the party that she loves Greek School, especially the tests and learning the Greek language.
“I enjoy it [learning Greek]. At first I thought it was a hard language, but it’s pretty easy. The people in my class are nice too,” Nausica, 8, said with a small smile.
Father Petros with Nausica.
After this, Father Petros gave a small speech about the meaning of Christmas and then students were given a certificate of completion by their teachers, as well as a small gift by members of the Mytilenian Association of Canberra.
The day was concluded with pizza and candy for the kids, while the teachers were recognised for their hard work by Mr Loukadellis with a gift.
Greek School teachers with committee members from GOCCC.
After a summer full of concerts around Greece succeeded by strict restrictions and lockdowns, much loved Greek singer-songwriter Yiannis Kotsiras and his ensemble are preparing for their Australian Tour in March 2022.
“When people ask me which country I would like to live in if not Greece, I always say in Australia, specifically Melbourne,” the popular artist tells The Greek Herald.
“Maybe it’s because every time I come [to Australia], I have a great time and I’ve met so many amazing people,” he says.
Despite his remarkable artistic career that spans over twenty years, multiple records that became hits, sold-out concerts and historic collaborations, Yannis Kotsiras remains grounded and approachable.
“With this tour we aim to remind our compatriots of quality Greek music -because Greece continues and produces excellent music- and also to reconnect them with memories of their home country,” he says, expressing his excitement that this time he will also perform in Darwin.
Asked how he managed to stay creative during the pandemic he explains that he transformed the lyrics in his songs into a Trojan Horse in order to communicate with the world.
“I love music very much and I have my ears and eyes open to what is happening around us. This unsettling situation forces an artist to speak and communicate with the world. And through music, I communicate with the world,” he says.
“I can say that despite the circumstances, the last 2-3 years I have been very creative and that makes me happy.”
It is not the first time the singer-songwriter mentions his family and how parenthood has redefined him both as an artist and an individual.
In his latest song “Koita Giro” (Look Around), Kotsiras talks about how smaller the world has gotten and wonders why people are lonely.
“The song started as a future letter to my sons and turned out to be a modern take at reality,” he says.
“It is dystopian but apart from hate this song also speaks of love. Because everything that happens in the world can only be overcome with love and solidarity. Nothing else.”
We chat about the future and he says he is happy that “Greek music has been encouraged in recent years” but worried as an artist and a parent about the civilisation decay and social disintegration.
“The problem is that people have become numb to violence and hatred. We watch and hear about deaths, wars and pandemics as if we were watching a video clip,” he says.
I ask him what he teaches his children and if there is something he would like to share with the youth.
He speaks about freedom of spirit and democracy and his words come to me as a reminder that the things that count in life are not things but ideals, values and principles.
“What I am trying to teach my children is for them to be free, not to get into molds designed by the system. I am trying to teach them to have a free spirit to think critically and to love people around them.”
Yannis Kotsiras is so passionate about the youth that during the lockdown in Greece he created his own YouTube channel where he shares videos of children’s songs that he sings.
“I started the videos as a way to calm down my two hyperactive sons and it was my wife’s idea to share with other parents. It’s also a good way to draw the kids to music and away from the violence they are exposed to online,” he says.
I could chat for hours with Yannis Kotsiras.
Maybe because I always resort to his songs every time my heart desires something from Greece or when I feel a bit too restricted in my little box and I am looking for a better view of the clear blue sky.
As we wrap up this interview, I ask him to send a message to Australia’s Greek community.
“Stay safe and have love for everyone! Until we meet again!” he says.
The countdown has begun. We will see you in the Antipodes Yanni!
In an interview with this month’s Gritty Pretty magazine, Jessica Mauboy opens up about her wedding plans with her fiancé Themeli Magripilis.
Mauboy and Magripilis got engaged during a romantic trip to Greece last year, but the bride-to-be revealed the couple haven’t started planning their big day yet.
Jessica Mauboy with Themeli Magripilis.
“You know when you just know that someone loves you so much and they’ve stuck around that long? I think that’s why the wedding plans popped in and then they just went away,” Mauboy said in the magazine interview.
A first group of migrants left Cyprus on Thursday as part of an initiative by Pope Francis to assist in their relocation, the government said.
Twelve migrants left Cyprus for Italy, Cyprus’ interior ministry said.
“We would like to warmly thank Pope Francis and the Holy See for this symbolic gesture and anticipate it will be a step towards substantive solidarity by other (EU) member states towards the Republic of Cyprus,” it said.
The Pope pledged to arrange the transfer of 50 migrants during his visit to the island in early December.
Ethnically divided Cyprus has struggled to manage an influx of migrants and refugees in the past two years.
Many asylum seekers access the southern government-controlled areas through the “Green Line” splitting the island after previously arriving in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in its north.
Cyprus, which is the closest EU member state to the Middle East, says arrivals so far this year are up 38 percent compared with the whole of 2020.
Pope Francis, whose defense of refugees and migrants is defining his papacy, also visited Greece and the island of Lesbos earlier this month.
During a previous visit in 2016, Pope Francis left Lesbos, then at the frontline of Europe’s migration crisis, taking 12 Syrian refugees with him.
Eight distinguished diaspora Greeks were awarded the “Argo Award” for excelling in their field and promoting Greece abroad.
The President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, presented the awards in a ceremony held on Thursday December 16 at the Benaki Museum in Athens.
Among the laureates, in the field of humanitarian contribution was a Greek-Australian priest, Reverend Themi Adamopoulo currently permanently residing in Sierra Leone, Africa, chancellor (protosygelos) of the Holy Diocese of Guinea, Themistocles Adamopoulos, or “Father Themi”. “That’s what they call me in my home, in Australia,” he stated to the “Greek Herald” in an exclusive statement before the award.
“I was in Sierra Leone when my phone rang and they told me they want to award me for my contribution. It was a special honour for me because it came from a non-secular, non-ecclesiastical group.
Reverend Themi Adamopoulo with children from the St James Orthodox Children’s Orphanage in Sierra Leone.(paradise4kids.org)
“Without wanting to make comparisons and be misunderstood, it reminds me when Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel”, says Father Themistocles, who at the age of 7 emigrated with his parents from Alexandria, Egypt to Melbourne. There he grew up, studied political science and later converted to Christianity.
In 1999 he began his work against poverty in Kenya. About 8 years later, in 2007, he went to Sierra Leone, where he lives to this day trying to alleviate the suffering of the world’s underprivileged.
In his moving speech at the Benaki Museum, Father Themi thanked the Greeks of Australia for the financial support and underlined that the biggest scandal of today is poverty that afflicts Africa.
The “Argo Awards” are awarded for the third consecutive year and are an initiative of the “International Argo Union – Network of Greeks of Brussels”.
Photo via presidency.gr
Greeks of the Diaspora are recognised in 8 categories. The winners this year are:
* Science Award: Kypros Nikolaides, professor of Fetal Medicine at King’s College London.
* Culture and Arts Award: Jeffrey Eugenides, author.
* Entrepreneurship Award: George Giankopoulos, President and director of the scientific group, “Regeneron Laboratories”.
* Innovation Award: Anastasia Ailamaki, Professor of Computer Science
* Humanitarian Award: Themistoklis Adamopoulos, chancellor of Holy Diocese Of Guinea.
* Award for contribution to the Commons: Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission
* Sport Award: Lefteris Petrounias, Olympic Gymnastics Champion
* Gastronomy Award: Kostas Spiliadis, Founder Of “Milos” Restaurants
Roderick Beaton has won the Runciman Award for his 2019 book Greece: A Biography of a Modern Nation.
It is his record-breaking fourth time winning the award, one for each of the last four consecutive decades.
Peter Frankopan, chair of the panel of judges, called the book “breathtaking”, “brave”, and “ambitious”.
“It is not easy to write broad history for (a) wide readership, and to do so well takes real skill,” he said.
“Covering recent centuries of Greece’s history requires courage too, as many have strong opinions about what should be written about – and how.”
Frankopan fronted the panel beside Dionysis Kapsalis, Naoise Mac Sweeney, Judith Mossman, and Sofka Zinovieff.
“As a jury, we felt that this wonderful book captured the spirit of the Runciman Award perfectly,” Frankopan added.
Beaton first won the prize in 1995 for ‘An Introduction to Modern Greek Literature’, as well as for his biographies on Nobel laureate George Seferis in 2004 and Philhellene Lord Byron in 2014.
The Anglo-Hellenic League offers the award annually to literary works which deal wholly or in part with Greece or Hellenism.
“In its 35-year history, Roddy is the only person to have won the award four times: a tremendous achievement,” John Kittmer, chair of the League, writes.
Microsoft senior regional director Myladie Stoumbou will guest this year’s last Greek Australian Dialogue Series event on Monday.
She will speak about women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, the Greek economy, the future of work, and post-pandemic trends driven by the acceleration of digital technologies.
The Arta-born leads an international team across eastern Europe and central Asia for one of the biggest technology giants in the world.
