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

New South Wales’s COVID lockdown has been extended for another week after the state recorded 27 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 from 8pm last night.

The lockdown, which began on 26 June, will be in place until midnight on Friday, July 16. 

Restrictions will remain in place for Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Shellharbour, Wollongong, and the Central Coast until Friday, July 16. 

In the meantime, residents in these areas will only be allowed to leave home:

• To shop for food or other essential goods and services.
• For medical care or compassionate needs (including to get a COVID-19 vaccine). 
• To exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer. 
• For essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home

“We only intend for this lockdown to be the only lockdown we go through,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday. [Replace with/Add a quote from today’s press conference].

School students in Greater Sydney will attend school online next week and return to the classroom on Monday, July 19. 

Students in regional New South Wales will return to face-to-face learning on Tuesday, July 13, as planned. 

It was originally scheduled to end this Friday, July 9, but “the reason why the NSW government has taken this position is because we don’t want to be in a situation where we are constantly having to move between lockdown, no lockdown, lockdown, no lockdown,” Premier Berejiklian announced.

More than 330 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 have been recorded since mid-June. 

Since then, hundreds of locations have been added to exposure site lists. 

Source: ABC News

Sydney business tycoon Basile Papadimitrou, also known as Bill Papas, who is in the centre of fraud allegations by Westpac and French bank Societe Generale has allegedly fled to Greece, according to The Greek Herald’s sources.

Papas, who has been caught up in an alleged fraud with his business, Forum Finance, involving fake invoices and forged signatures that could cost the bank more than $290 million, was last seen in mid-June and there have been reports that he has ‘vanished’ or was ‘in a Perth Hospital’. 

Mr Papas was known to the community as the, now former, president of Sydney Olympic Football Club, one of the oldest and most prominent members of the professional National Premier League and since October an investor in Greek club Xanthi FC.

The Greek Herald understands that Mr Papas was recently seen in Thessaloniki, Greece and “is soon expected to make public announcements regarding Xanthi FC.”

With a post on social media, Sydney Olympic FC confirmed late on Friday that Mr Papas had resigned from the board “effective immediately” and that it appreciated the commitment and contribution of Mr Papas during his tenure.

The details of the financial scandal

Mr Papas’ business Forum Finance, which started in 2011, offers arranged lease financing from banks to its clients for office equipment, computers and software.

The banks then pay the funds to an entity, subsequently receiving regular lease payments.

Forum Finance clients included Findex, HWL Ebsworth, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Smart Group, and Channel Seven-owned WesTrac.

Westpac discovered the alleged fraud leading to an investigation when Westrac, applied for finance for office products with the bank in early June.

The bank discovered it already provided financing for Westrac through Forum Finance.

WesTrac confirmed funds were in fact accessed through a Forum Finance loan for equipment worth about $9 million under its name, yet had no record of obtaining the funds.

Further investigations undertaken by Westpac into six more loan contracts financed by the bank allegedly showed the assets financed did not exist, with just one of the advances for equipment amounting to $211 million.

When Westpac questioned Mr Papas, he failed to attend a meeting to discuss the allegations on 15 June and according to the bank, has ‘since that time not been contactable or seen’.