Greece has become the first European country to target an age group with a vaccination mandate.
Residents over the age of 60 who fail to book their first jab will face a monthly fine of about $150 Australian dollars.
Yanis Varoufakis has called the move a “draconian measure” and said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is “on confession of complete failure.”
“I had the Prime Minister in front of me in Parliament (two months ago) and… I said, ‘Imagine that you were to introduce a $200 fine every month for the unvaccinated… what effect is this going to have?,” the Greek MP tells ABC Breakfast.
“Yes, some people are going to be vaccinated but you are going to divide the nation and make the anti-vaxxers, those who are skeptical of vaccines… a feeling within them that they are being martyred for being concerned.”
“What does he do yesterday? He announces that which I asked him exactly not to do.”
There are about half a million people over the age of 60 in Greece who are yet to get vaccinated.
Around 63 percent of Greece’s population of 11 million are fully vaccinated.
“I can understand the necessity of getting the over-60s, the pensioners, vaccinated because they are the most vulnerable. It’s just that it doesn’t work,” he said.
“I am a firm supporter of the vaccination drive,” he said, “but you are not going to win this fight if you martyr those who are concerned instead of presenting them with the facts.”
Varoufakis says there is a correlation between mistrust in government and low vaccination rates.
“People don’t believe our government anymore and that is detrimental to the vaccination drive,” he said.
Greece has detected its first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Crete in a citizen who returned from South Africa last month.
The man, who has mild symptoms, and those he has had contact with, have been quarantined, National Organisation for Public Health (EODY) head Theoklis Zaoutis said.
His contacts have tested negative so far, Zaoutis added.
More countries are reporting cases of the variant, which the World Health Organisation says carries a very high global risk of surging cases.
Greece’s vaccination committee has given the green light for children aged five to 11 to be given the COVID-19 vaccine, Health Minister Thanos Plevris said.
Plevris said bookings for this group will open once supply is available.
Greece has also announced a move to make vaccination mandatory for people aged 60 and over.
Walking into Perama 2.0 restaurant in Petersham, Sydney, I’m instantly struck by the amazing transformation the space has undergone since my last visit pre-lockdown in July.
To my right is a trendy bar containing dozens of iconic Greek wines, while on my left are mirrored walls covered with the outlines of Greek gods and rows of dining tables waiting to be filled with customers when the restaurant opened for service.
Taking a few more steps into the space and if you’re lucky, you’ll also bump into Michelle – the friendly staffer who answers the constantly ringing phone and manages the bookings and events.
The large bar at Perama 2.0. All photos: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
Interior of Perama 2.0.
She was more than happy to share what it’s been like ever since chef, David Tsirekas, decided to bring back the iconic Perama restaurant as Perama 2.0 after 10 years.
“It’s been an overwhelming response. It’s unbelievable how many people are excited that the restaurant is back and that David is back at the helm of the restaurant,” Michelle tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
Speaking of David, I set off on a walk through the restaurant to find him and of course, he’s exactly where you’d expect him to be – rushing around in his industrial kitchen.
David in the kitchen of his restaurant. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
He’s all alone and prepping his signature quirky dishes, such as kalitsounia and passionfruit bougatsa, in anticipation for the Wednesday night dinner rush. Only minutes later, I see him grabbing a bucket and mop as he starts to clean the restaurant as well.
When I ask him why he seems to be both a chef and a cleaner, his answer doesn’t surprise me as it reflects the current issues facing the hospitality industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent lockdowns in New South Wales.
“There’s no staff around. The people who are here [in Australia] don’t want to do this job anymore because of the constant lockdowns and hospitality has always been the one to cop it first,” David tells The Greek Herald.
David does the cleaning and cooking. Photos: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
“Then you’ve got the added thing of the desperation for staff and people offering big bucks [which is hard to compete with].”
The popular chef does acknowledge however, that it’s “not all doom and gloom.”
“The staff are doing an amazing job, let me tell you. I couldn’t be prouder of these young kids and their enthusiasm and their filotimo. They’re giving their humility in service which is good,” David says.
“One of the positives of having these young guys is being able to mould them into a new generation of hospitality people through your own philosophy, your own vision, your own lens.”
David is happy to be back in the kitchen. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
David also says that despite things being “different to what they used to be,” he’s still happy to be back and sharing his vision not only with his staff, but with long-time and new customers as well.
“It’s so good to be doing this food again. I have creative freedom that reflects the space that Elvis [David’s business partner] built. It’s important for the food to fit in with the personality of the restaurant otherwise it doesn’t make sense,” he concludes.
“It is a marathon. We just have to make sure that we deliver quality consistently, be humble in our mistakes and we’re going to make them because of this difficult time. We hope the public is patient with us and with all restaurants.
“But it is good to be back. It’s home really.”
A welcoming home which is open to all who want to enjoy a slice of David’s iconic and quirky dishes.
Professor George Paxinos is arguably one of the greatest minds in the world, having identified and named more brain structures in rats and humans than anyone in history.
Like many brain cartographers before him, he’s also principally published his work and research in books – 58 to be exact. These works have led to advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of brain and spinal cord diseases, disorders and injuries.
But Professor Paxinos has also always had the urge to write a fiction novel focused on environmental concerns, such as deforestation and climate change. This urge has led to the publication of his new thrilling environmental crime novel – A River Divided.
How environmental frustrations inspired Professor Paxinos:
Speaking with The Greek Herald after the release of A River Divided, Professor Paxinos says the novel “came out of a continuous defeat in things that I tried to do to protect the environment.”
Professor George Paxinos is arguably one of the greatest minds in the world.
In the 1980s and the 1990s, Professor Paxinos was the principal advocate for the return of trams to Sydney, founding The Light Rail Association of which he served as President. The Association aimed to reduce reliance on the car and reduce atmospheric pollution.
But despite Professor Paxinos’ best efforts, the tramway infrastructure of Sydney was not preserved and once the CBD and South East Light Rail network began to be built in October 2015, the environmental impact was huge.
“I was frustrated because I was losing every time and I thought if I were to write a novel, as they weren’t many novels on the environment back then, that I might be able to take the reader with me and make change in behaviour upstream from action – that is, to change attitude,” Professor Paxinos says.
Professor Paxinos’ 21-year writing odyssey:
After making this decision to write the novel, the neuroscientist began to think about a plot and he says it came to him one night at a Christmas Party in 1999.
His writing journey took 21 years.
“I was with some friends and someone asked me what we’re doing and I said, ‘we’re going to Spain’ and they asked, ‘if you’re going to Spain why don’t you visit San Juan de Compostela? The church where the bones of St James are buried’,” Professor Paxinos explains.
“I thought at that moment, ‘I’ll take some DNA and see what the guy looked like’ but then I thought, ‘why not someone far greater?’ The idea of cloning the remains of Jesus came to mind… and having him look at the world today and seeing what his reaction would be to the environmental issues that are facing us.”
It’s from this moment on that A River Divided was born.
The novel begins with Jesus’ DNA being discovered and then cloned to bring twins into the world. Separated by circumstance, the twins are unaware of each other’s existence and they live completely different lives. One day, they coincidentally meet and come to logger-heads over a project in the Amazon rainforest that could threaten life as people know it.
His new novel, A River Divided.
This narrative is so well-written and meticulously researched that it’s no surprise it took Professor Paxinos 21 years to finish writing it in a way which pays homage to religion, the environment and science.
“Of course, I had my day job but it was more so that… novel writing is a different skill to scientific writing. I thought it would be a good transfer of skills,” he says.
“I had the background [as] I was teaching neuroscience. I had also a long-standing interest in the environment… so I had that benefit but still, it is a lot of work to make the words.”
Despite this, the words Professor Paxinos did use in A River Divided dance across the pages as a demanding tango between scientific rationalism and literature.
Pope Francis has begun his apostolic journey to the eastern Mediterranean region, flying first to Cyprus in his two-nation visit.
Accompanying him on the 3-hour flight from Rome on an A320 plane of Italy’s new state-owned flag carrier ITA Airways, were 77 journalists, 7 of them from Cyprus and Greece.
Pope Francis greeted and thanked them for their company.
“It is a beautiful journey, and we will also touch some wounds,” he told them.
“I hope we can all welcome all the messages we will find.”
The Pope met with President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiades, local Authorities, Civil Society, and the Diplomatic Corps, praising the island nation as “a crossroads of civilizations.”
President Anastasiades thanked Pope Francis for his visit to Cyprus, highlighting the nation’s long history of welcoming people to its land, and the key role it has played given its geographic location between west and east, while favoring peaceful coexistence and welcome to other peoples.
The multi-ethnic makeup is characteristic of the nation, he noted, while expressing his support for the work of the Holy See in promoting peace and dialogue throughout the world.
He also noted how Cyprus has welcomed so many refugees and migrants to its land, and thanked Pope Francis for all he has done in this area, especially bringing 50 migrants from Cyprus to Italy.
He underscored the ongoing challenge presented by a divided Cyprus.
“I pray for your peace, for the peace of the entire island, and I make it my fervent hope,” the Pope said.
Personalised stamps to mark the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution have been issued by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
The stamps were organised by the Archdiocese using a personalised stamp service offered by Australia Post to the general public.
The series comprises of four stamps designed by artist, Angela Kiki Konstantinopoulou, and depict heroic clerical figures of the Orthodox Church.
Angela with some of her artworks. Photo supplied.
This includes: Patriarch Gregory V (ethnomartyr and saint of the Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Palaion Patron Germanos, Bishop Isaiah of Salona, and Archimandrite Grigorios Dikaios-Flessas (Papaflessas).
Ms Konstantinopoulou started exhibiting her artwork series ‘1821: Greek Independence Day Heroes’ in February this year to mark the bicentenary.
Angela with Archbishop Makarios giving him gift of an aboriginal elder earlier this year. Photo supplied.
In a press release, the artist said her unique art style and vibrant colours captivated everyone, including His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who expressed his desire to have Ms Konstantinopoulou’s designs transferred into stamps.
Those who are interested can purchase the anniversary stamps from the bookstores of the Holy Archdiocese of Sydney and Melbourne. The stamps will also be available for purchase online soon.
Annita Demetriou gives off a sense of confidence with her speech. Her ascent to the second post of the Republic of Cyprus, that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was a surprise, which is “frayed” as one hears her speak with her flowing, solid speech, dotted with substance and free from anything superfluous.
In societies such as the Cypriot one, which resembles the Greek, there is a strong element of patriarchy, which is a deterrent to the evolution of a woman. Ms Demetriou, who speaks exclusively to The Greek Herald, managed to lift herself over obstacles, overcome the decay of everyday life and now lead the Cypriot Parliament.
To lead, at the same time, through her example and give birth to the hope in many women that despite the fact that our societies are scattered with obstacles for them, there is a way to overcome them as long as you try “three and four times more,” as she characteristically tells us.
In October 2021, she celebrated her 36th birthday. In this short life she managed to study political science, to present the news bulletin of a private television station and today she is in one of the highest offices of the political life of Cyprus looking for solutions to improve the everyday life of citizens.
Ms Demetriou with Cypriot President, Nicos Anastasiades.
Annita Demetriou completes in a few weeks, half a year in the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives and as she tells us: “the big bet remains to win as an institution the trust of the citizens and regain our lost credibility. To dispel any shadows that have been created and to invest in light, with processes of absolute transparency.
“To listen to the concerns of the citizens in the difficult situations we are experiencing and to provide solutions to dead ends through the legislative work.
“Modernisation and a change of mentality through digital transformation, sustainable development and the green transition is also a one-way street for the House of Representatives and for the whole society. But also for any society.
“With reforms we aim to break free from anachronistic tactics and build bridges of communication with the world, creating a two-way relationship with the citizen, which will lead to participatory democracy.”
Concern for Turkey and the plague of Cyprus:
Ms Demetriou.
The provocations from Turkey are constant and are a cause for concern for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. “As long as Turkey acts as an unpredictable and destabilising player in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and beyond, all open issues pose risks.
“It is for this reason that we must step up our efforts and insist on the resumption of a meaningful dialogue within the UN with a view to the overall settlement of the Cyprus issue, on the basis of the resolutions of the Security Council and the principles and values on which the European Union was built.
“The solution of a bi-zonal bi-communal federation is a one-way street and the exemption from foreign occupation troops and the anachronistic system of guarantees is necessary, for a peaceful, safe and sustainable rule of law that creates conditions of security and prosperity for all the inhabitants of the island.
“We are very concerned about the illegal actions and the new fait accompli that Turkey is attempting, especially in Famagusta, Karpasia and the AOZ, but we have no choice but to stick to our positions of principles and legality, for the future that we must ensure for our Cyprus.”
Ms Demetriou has held meetings with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The Cyprus issue remains the Great Plague of Hellenism. Is there a solution on the horizon?
“We do not have the luxury of complacency and above all idleness especially with what is constantly being attempted by Turkey. We should therefore, despite the increasing Turkish intransigence, continue tirelessly with the efforts, utilising all political and diplomatic means, with the aim of preventing Ankara’s methods of diverting from the agreed solution basis. Partition cannot be the fate of this place and we can never come to terms with the encroachment on human rights.
“The House of Representatives has a decisive role to play in this, through parliamentary diplomacy. Equally important, however, is the role of our diaspora. Both by influencing decision-making centres and by informing and enlightening initiatives. We rely on our Greek Cypriots abroad.”
The pandemic and the obstacles for a woman in politics:
Ms Demetriou has only good words to say about the treatment of Cypriots throughout the restrictive measures of the pandemic.
Ms Demetriou is Cyprus’ first female and youngest-ever parliamentary speaker.
“The people of Cyprus from the first moment showed a high sense of responsibility and altruism in dealing with the pandemic. We must acknowledge that the citizens, despite all difficulties, complied with the restrictive measures by showing patience and prudence. Indicative is the high vaccination rate in our country, which exceeded 80%. And so we must continue to move forward united without extremes and divisions,” she says.
Annita Demetriou became the first woman to rise to the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives in a strongly patriarchal society, such as that of Cyprus. Her struggle seemed at times like Sisyphus’.
“It is double, triple perhaps and quadruple I would say the effort and struggle for every woman to prove that she is equally worth it, especially in male-dominated spaces and male-dominated societies. She has to fight and break stereotypical perceptions. To confront watertight and biased attitudes maintained over decades, preserving gendered discrimination and undermining the abilities and value of the female gender.
“Certainly steps have been taken in recent years to establish and strengthen the position of women in decision-making processes, and as such they can be noted, but there is still more to be done: indicative is the sexism law, the adoption of which is a pioneer step among the countries of the E.U., the discussion of the proposal for a law to make the offense of femicide an idiom and to carry a life sentence, but also the ratification of all the provisions of the Istanbul Convention in legislation, with a monitoring and evaluation process.
Ms Demetriou as Speaker.
“Only with dynamic and effective policies, but also the systematic cultivation of empathy through education, can we truly shape the culture we are entitled to, a culture of full adoption and establishment of respect for human rights, giving equal opportunities to each individual person.”
Finally, Ms Demetriou sends a message to the Cypriots of Australia through The Greek Herald.
“Diaspora is the most authentic and vibrant part of Hellenism. This is because among the Greeks of the diaspora there is “nostos”. In a broader sense of nostalgia for the motherland that goes beyond the simple and everyday things. So they know how to keep the homeland in their hearts well guarded, as a treasure, and this is the first thing we realise whenever we visit Australia and other countries of the world,” she says.
“The Cypriot community of Australia, with its progress and multifarious action, has become a valuable ambassador of our country abroad and we are grateful for this.
“We must not for a moment stop standing up for the rights of our people and denouncing the brutal encroachment on human rights in our country, from every international odium. And we thank for this our diaspora in Australia and our foreign nationals who defend their small homeland in all the lengths and widths of the planet. Our Cyprus.”
Professor George Paxinos from the University of New South Wales in Sydney has been named among 63 Greeks who are pioneers in the fields of clinical medicine and biomedical research.
Professor Paxinos received the prestigious award as part of the ‘Initiative 1821-2021,’ which is run by ARISTEiA (Institute for the Advancement of Research & Education in Arts, Sciences & Technology).
Congrats to Prof @gpaxinos who is one of 63 Greeks deemed to have made a historical contribution to the development of Medical & Biomedical 200 years of #research. George flew to Greece last week to accept this prestigious award. We are so proud! @greek_herald@humanbrainatlaspic.twitter.com/sm69CCN4KV
Professor Paxinos attended the award ceremony in Greece this week along with distinguished scientists, Charalambos Moutsopoulos and Andreas Tzakis, who were also named on the list.
During the ceremony, the Vice President of ARISTEiA, Konstantinos Drosatos, said the selection of the 63 Greek scientists by the scientific council of research was not only based on bibliographical criteria.
Paxinos speaking at the event. Photo: vipnews.gr / www.papadakispress.gr.
“[The] work was judged positively for its originality, for its leadership in international scientific actions, for its global impact on medicine and research, but also for its timelessness,” Mr Drosatos said.
Also named among the list, which was narrowed down from 120 distinguished scientists, were: Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourlas, Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca, Menelas Pangalos, and the inventor of the pap smear test, Georgios Papanikolaou.
After three years and dozens of drafts, the Federal Government’s Religious Discrimination Bill is finally before Parliament.
Since the bill was announced earlier this week by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, it has faced multiple challenges from many multicultural communities who are worried the bill could lead to more, not less, discrimination on the basis of faith in Australia.
Politicians within the Coalition ranks, including Fiona Martin MP and Dave Sharma MP, have also voiced concerns with the religious freedom bill. But according to The Sydney Morning Herald, they have now indicated they will support the bill because of an offer to amend its separate provisions on the treatment of gay students in religious schools.
In a video conference held on Wednesday with representatives of multicultural media, the Attorney-General Senator Michaelia Cash and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Alex Hawke MP explained the bill came to ‘fill a void.’
‘Guarantee social cohesion’:
Minister Hawke at the video conference. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
Minister Hawke addressed the video conference first and stressed that the Federal Government has “worked hard” on the bill because of a strong belief that “people should not experience discrimination in Australia due to their religious belief.”
“I think this speaks to our proud, multicultural nation as well. We welcome more people here from more places in the world than I think any society on Earth in a better way… and that will mean more faiths, it will mean more people of different faiths,” Minister Hawke began.
“And so this issue only continues to be important in the long term and it’s important that we act now to guarantee that social cohesion.”
Senator Cash agreed with Minister Hawke and added that the bill “fills a void” at the Federal level.
Currently, there is the Age Discrimination Act 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, but there is no Federal Religious Discrimination Act.
Transparency is key:
After these initial introductions, Senator Cash answered questions submitted by attendees.
Attorney-General, Senator Michaelia Cash, answered questions at the event. Photo: Andriana Simos / The Greek Herald.
Asked whether the bill would actually encourage more discrimination against people of different faiths at religious schools, Senator Cash said it is all about “transparency.”
“In terms of the religious discrimination bill, that only deals with protection on the basis of religion and in the event that there is an exemption for religious bodies. The exemption is to preference people of faith in their employment decisions,” she answered.
“But we’ve added an extra layer of transparency there… You can preference people of faith if you have a publicly available policy [like a mission statement] that sets out the circumstances in which you do that.
“So I think that transparency is very, very important.”
From there, Senator Cash turned to questions around ‘statements of belief’ and the protections afforded to these statements in the bill.
Labor is using every trick in the book to delay this bill and avoid protecting Australians from religious discrimination.
The Govt has a mandate from the Australian people to deliver these protections.
— Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash (@SenatorCash) December 1, 2021
By giving an example of a person of Catholic faith saying to a divorced friend, ‘I don’t believe in divorce,’ Senator Cash explained how if this statement “is not malicious in any way” or does not incite “hatred or intimidation,” then the person making the statement is protected by the bill.
“We should be able to have a conversation in which we can discuss our religion, express our beliefs, even explain our religion. Sometimes it’s actually good to have a conversation where we can sit down and say, ‘hey I’m a Catholic’ or ‘You’re not a Catholic. Tell me about your religion,’ and those statements of belief are protected,” Senator Cash said.
“But when they step over into unlawful behaviour or they’re malicious, we draw the line there.”
Religious Discrimination Commissioner:
Lastly, Senator Cash also responded to a question from The Greek Herald asking whether taxpayer’s money was better spent on intercultural religion courses instead of tackling religious discrimination by legislating freedom.
“Within the Religious Discrimination Bill itself, we will establish the position of the Religious Discrimination Commissioner,” she responded.
Scott Morrison made the case for the bill in Parliament on November 25. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen.
“That person will sit alongside the other anti-discrimination commissioners but they’ll have a very, very important role… an educative role.”
The Attorney-General went on to say the Commissioner would be someone who would be able to answer questions such as, ‘what is protection from religious discrimination?’ and ‘why should you allow a person to express a statement of belief?’
“[The Commissioner] will not just be someone that you raise a complaint with but actually someone who educates all of us, whether we are people of faith or not of faith, the importance of the protections and what this bill is actually designed to do,” she said.
Prime Minister Morrison hopes to pass the bill through Parliament’s lower house on the final sitting day of the year.
Melinda Dimitriades was raised in Earlwood to Greek-born migrants and has continued to work and live in the Inner West over much of the past two decades. That’s why she’s decided to run as an Independent in the Inner West Council elections on Saturday, December 4.
Melinda is a passionate advocate for older people and wants to be part of creating relationships and community activities that engage all generations and cultural backgrounds.
She is also interested in all levels of government, leading the charge to create good policies and work with business to address climate change, environmental impacts and smart building design. She believes that everyone should have access to green space and sky, and that you can’t just buy your way into everything.
Melinda Dimitriades.
With just days to go before the local government elections in NSW, we sat down with Melinda to hear all about her career plan and aspirations.
1. Why have you decided to get into politics?
Whilst I recently graduated as a Political Scientist at Sydney University, I never thought I would become a politician. But I was approached by one of Vic’s supporters and asked to consider running with him. After meeting him and learning about the dysfunction, over-spending and neglect of the migrants who have called Marrickville home for decades but are severely neglected, I thought I could contribute in a meaningful way and advocate for these communities.
I also think I can provide more transparency and efficient governance without partisan politics; you’d be amazed how politicised the Inner West Council is.
Dimitriades wants to provide ‘more transparency’ if elected to the Inner West Council.
2. How does your Greek heritage influence your work?
Well, I grew up in Earlwood but spent every other weekend with my mum and brothers George and Alex shopping at the Greek wholesalers. I went to pre-school at Crusader in Malakoff St and even got my ears pierced on Illawarra Rd. The very reason why Marrickville is so vibrant, diverse and textured is because of the Greeks.
3.What are your plans if you are elected this year?
Vic is a seasoned councillor and I will be guided by him. However, as a strong Greek woman, small business owner and progressive in my politics, I will apply my skills, knowledge and frugality to various projects including providing green space, good development that provides appropriate housing, as well as business and public utilities without whacking rate payers and going over budget. We simply don’t have the incomes of State or Federal governments.
Dimitriades with her running mates.
4.What message do you have for our readers and the Greek Australian community more broadly?
If you want to see politicians who reflect back to you your ethnicity, community mindedness and Greek/Italian smarts with pragmatic solutions and without the ideological constraints of Labor or The Greens, vote for Independents.
5. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I encourage people to start conversations and think about what a partisan council has actually achieved. Let’s break the stranglehold and get some mediation by voting independent thinking representatives.
