The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia recently announced that all Greek Orthodox churches in Victoria will be closed to the faithful from today, July 8.
The closures are in response to COVID-19 restrictions placed by the Victorian government, which dictate that all places of public worship are to be closed.
“It is with great sadness and pastoral anguish that I am watching the unfortunate developments in Melbourne, and the wider Victoria region,” His Eminence Archbishop Makarios says.
“It is clear that the cessation of public worship means that our Churches will be closed to the faithful. However, all the Sequences, memories of the Saints, and Divine Liturgies will be performed only by the priest and the singer, while the sacraments and funerals will be performed according to the instructions of the State.
“I urge you to comply with these guidelines by properly listening to our priests and the Board of Directors of your Archdiocese, and at the same time I urge you to intensify your prayers to God, the Giver of Intervention, whose intervention awaits all humanity.”
His Eminence has sent a message to the Archbishop of Melbourne, Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis, and to Reverend Archimandrite Fr Evmenios Vasilopoulos.
Prosecutors will explore whether a young man who allegedly caused a crash that killed two Adelaide mothers in April was having a “manic episode” at the time, a court has heard.
Harrison Kitt, 20, today walked into the Adelaide Magistrates Court on crutches to face the allegations for the first time. He has been charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing death and is yet to plead to the allegations.
Senior Greek Australian police officer Joanne Shanahan, 55, and mother Tania McNeill, 53, died in the crash at the intersection of Cross Road and Fullarton Road at Urrbrae on April 25.
Prosecutor Patrick Hill told the court that investigators had already taken 90 witness statements but still had to seek further material.
He said Major Crash investigators were yet to undertake a “complex scene reconstruction” that would determine the speed Mr Kitt was travelling at before impact.
“We need statements from medical personnel who treated the accused after the crash,” he said.
PHOTO: (L) Late Detective Chief Superintendent Joanne Shanahan’s husband and kids gathered at the scene on Tuesday / Image: 10 News First (R) Tributes to Joanne Shanahan and Tania McNeill at the scene of the crash.
The prosecutor said investigators also needed to explore Mr Kitt’s mental health and behaviour in the week leading up to the crash.
“We need a formal inquiry into the accused’s mental state at the time if there’s to be a declaration he suffered a manic episode or psychosis,” he said.
David Edwardson QC, for Mr Kitt, told the court that drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash. He said reports into his client’s mental competence could not be ordered until he has been committed to a higher court. The case was adjourned for eight weeks.
Joanne Shanahan (nee Panayiotou) was a mother-of-two and well-respected Detective Chief Superintendent prior to her tragic death.
“Not only have we lost a beautiful person, we’ve lost a detective with a wealth of knowledge,’ Commissioner Stevens told media upon her death.
Police officers and SA community bid a public farewell to Joanne on May 8, with police flanking the streets of Adelaide’s inner south to say their last goodbyes.
The General Consulate in Melbourne, following the recent announcement from the Government of Victoria, will only be processing emergency cases from July 9, 2020.
For a period of six weeks, the Consulate General has advised the public not to visit the Greek headquarters in Melbourne. No new appointments will be made during the afore-mentioned period, with the Consulate General warning applicants to carefully decide whether it is indeed an urgency to visit.
Below is a list of the temporarily amended and suspended application requests:
Verification of documents will discontinue.
Applications for Greek passports will be accepted in emergency cases only, such as immediate travel to the Hellenic Republic or in an urgent pending case with Australian Immigration. New Greek passports which will be received by the Consulate General during the afore-mentioned period will be handed over to their owners.
Applications for power of attorneys that have already been submitted to the Consulate General will be processed. New applications can only be handled in urgent cases.
Registration of acts (births, marriages, deaths) and applications for Greek citizenship are not considered urgent cases at this point.
Certifications for national service will not be handled.
Visa applications for travel to the Hellenic Republic or France cannot be submitted. The announcement on the website “GREEK CONSULATE GENERAL RESTARTS ISSUING SCHENGEN VISAS”, dated 6 July 2020, no longer applies.
The Consulate General thanks everyone for their cooperation and asks for their understanding for these new and temporary measures.
Adelaide YouTube pranksters Danny and Michael Philippou are bringing their film-making talents to the big screen after securing funding for their debut feature film.
The twins from Pooraka have been running the YouTube channel ‘RackaRacka’ for over six years, creating skits and pranks for their 6.2 million subscribers.
What they describe as a “dream come true”, the two brothers will be co-writing and directing the film alongside Michael Beck, The Advertiser reports.
“When we first heard, I just cried. It’s what we’ve always wanted to do. All the YouTube stuff, it’s been building towards filmmaking. It’s everything we’ve been trying to do since we started making stuff when we were 9 years old – that’s been our one goal,” he said.
The film is set to be a horror flick called ‘Talk To Me’ which follows a girl who conjures spirits through a disembodied hand and becomes plagued by supernatural visions.
“It’s a lot more of a serious film. It’s a film about connection and – metaphorically – about depression. In terms of the tone, it’s very different from our RackaRacka stuff,” said Danny.
YouTube stars and brothers Danny and Michael Philippou are making a feature film. Picture: Matt Loxton/The Advertiser
Danny said the film is expected to begin shooting around SA early next year and feature a local cast and crew. The brothers were supported by the South Australian Film Corporation, being one of six projects to receive a share of $6 million in funding from Screen Australia.
Danny announced that ‘RackaRacka’ will continue produced fresh content, with viewers expected to receive a look behind the film-making process.
“It’s just about experimenting with different film techniques, that’s what our channel has always been about, that’s where we workshop our skills there,” he said.
“That’s what the audience wants and that will always be there.”
Michael Philippou appeared in court at the beginning of 2020 for a prank that was deemed dangerous by authorities. The Greek Australian YouTuber filled a car up with water and drove it to the Lonsdale pub in Adelaide.
The influx of refugees and migrants to the islands in the first half of 2020 was reduced by 51% compared to the first six months of 2019, according to data released by the Migration Ministry on Monday.
The decrease in the second quarter of 2020 (April-June) reached 92% compared to the corresponding period of 2019. Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas also noted in his briefing that flows decreased by 46% across the country.
At the same time, according to the same data, primary decisions on asylum applications increased by 88%. Specifically, in the first half of 2020, 46,554 decisions were issued compared to 24,701 in the corresponding period of 2019.
Αποχώρησαν όλοι οι πρόσφυγες από την Πλ. Βικτώριας σε προσωρινά καταλύματα. Χάρη στις ενέργειες της Ελ. Αστυνομίας & της Υπηρεσίας Πρώτης Υποδοχής του Υπ. Μετανάστευσης & Ασύλου. Και παρά την προσπάθεια αλληλέγγυων, να εκμεταλλευτούν τον ανθρώπινο πόνο για δημιουργία εντυπώσεων. pic.twitter.com/JuKJZNuuFD
Greek authorities transferred 150 recognised refugees from Victoria Square yesterday, moving them to reception facilities in Skaramangas and Schisto in western Attica, Greece.
Men, women and children had camped at the square after they were forced out of camps on the islands due to the recent policy of the Migration Ministry to stop providing refugees with recognised status with accommodation and food.
According to police, the operation of transferring the refugees’ from camps was without incidents and police had to persuade them.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday he felt more comfortable picking up the phone to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan since an ice-breaking call in June.
Mitsotakis also said Greece was not one of the European Union members which insisted on keeping Turkey off a list of safe countries in an unwinding of the COVID-19 travel restrictions. The EU stance has angered Ankara.
“We are neighbours, we have significant differences, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk,” Mitsotakis told Greece’s Skai radio.
Greece and Turkey disagree on a range of issues ranging from overflights in the Aegean Sea to gas reserves in the east Mediterranean. In March tensions went up a notch when thousands of refugees that Turkey hosts attempted to storm the border between the two countries in an effort to reach the EU.
Mitsotakis and Erdogan spoke by phone on June 26, the first time that the two had spoken in months. “It’s very important that the official channels of communication have been restored… that now we can pick up the phone at any moment and speak to the other about an issue.”
The Greek premier, who came to power a year ago, said Greece and Turkey had “very different views” on a range of matters.
“I have described to the Turkish president a resolution mechanism, but it is contingent on Turkey refraining from adding to tensions, something which would render that dialogue impossible.”
While it was a “little weird” having a virtual coach, Despina said the playoffs were a fun experience and is grateful to be able to sing again next week.
Kelly Rowland consoling an upset Despina Savva after almost being eliminated from The Voice Australia 2020. Photo: Nine Network
“It felt amazing getting the wild card, I get the chance to sing again on that stage and will do Kelly proud!”
Despina lost her battle to piano man Alex Weybury in the play offs on Sunday night, with the Greek Australian singing a rendition of Kim Carnes’ ‘Bette Davis Eyes’.
Devastated to be potentially leaving the competition, Despina broke down in tears and was consoled by a virtual Kelly Rowland. Seeing her incredible talent, Kelly used one of her two wildcards on Despina, bringing her into the grand final week.
Despina switched to #TeamKelly in the Battle Round of the competition, leaving Boy George’s team.
“Working with artists like Despina really gets all my senses going. You are so meant to be here and I want to see how you grow, but I want to be the Coach to help you get there,” Kelly said during the Battles.
Revealed in last nights episode, each contestant will be choosing their own song for their final performance and craft “what will be your most important performance yet.”
The artists will face off on Sunday 7.00pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Nine.
In a time where the roaring cheers of fans is left silent,
attention is drawn to the men that carry the weight of the crowds on their
backs. NRL commentators have been forced to “back their instincts this season”
after fans disappeared from stadiums, following the COVID-19 restrictions.
Nine Network commentator Peter Psaltis has had over 9 years of NRL commentating experience, living locally in Queensland for his media career. While the job of a commentator is always difficult, Psaltis says the last few months have truly tested the skills of callers.
“Quite often when you’re calling a game, you use the crowds
to gage your excitement,” Psaltis said exclusively to The Greek Herald.
“These days when there are no crowds, you’ve almost got to
back your instincts, and the excitement too of your co-commentators.
“Sometimes in TV commentary, when there’s a big moment, you can quickly describe that big moment and let it breathe so you can hear the reaction from the crowd. But you can’t do that now, because there’s nothing there.”
Photo: Peter Psaltis Media
This difficult job isn’t left in the sole hands of Peter,
however, with all NRL commentators fully supported by their co-callers, who
know how to pick up a moment and take it on the horse.
“It’s great to know you’ve got the support of those around you, they’re all just absolutely brilliant. Brilliant to work with and that’s why they’ve done it for such a long time… the ultimate professionals.”
Grand Final days match no
other
As sports presenter, you never know the level of excitement
a match may bring. Arguably, it is up to the commentators to treat every match
like a Grand Final, bringing passion to the viewers at home.
Peter describes the best moments of his career as being part
of the team for Grand Final day. Not only big moments for players on the field
but bringing excitement across to the friends and families of players is one of
the most “humbling experiences”.
“I don’t want this to sound corny but I genuinely mean it. I take great pride when a relative of a player comes over and says ‘oh, love the way you called this player’, it just makes you feel really good,” Psaltis said.
Photo: Peter Psaltis Media
Peter was also fortunate enough to be the commentator for
the inaugural NRL-W Grand Final, which he described as being “a big moment for
the game”.
“Particularly when we’re talking Intrust Super Cup players or NRL-W players, who’s profiles are growing, it’s good that you can help people understand a bit about their story and where they’ve come from.”
Greek legacy in the NRL
Kytherians have held quite an important role in the NRL in
the past 10 years.
Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, Peter
V’landys, has been one of the most influential men for the return of the NRL
this season. Nick Politis, chairman of the Sydney Roosters, has helped take the
team to a double NRL championship in the past two years, looking to take a
third this season.
Also a Kytherian, Psaltis is proud of the high role that
Greeks have held in the Australian game.
“I look at the different Greeks that have been in the media in the past…. I got to know the late Peter Frilingos. That was terrific to be able to work for such a long time on the Frilingos call team.”
Peter V’landys and Nick Politis.
Asked if there were any talented Greek players coming up the
ranks in the NRL, Psaltis expressed his excitement for Cronulla Sharks player
Billy Magoulias.
“I just love the way he plays the game,” Psaltis said
excitedly.
“He plays in such a positive manner, good ball runner, and I
can see him being a really good lock-forward or second-rower for many years to
come”
While Psaltis is a big fan of the Greeks play style, the president of the Magoulias’ “fan club” is already taken by NSW Blue’s coach Brad Fittler, whose wife is also Greek.
“I know the one person who absolutely loves him is Brad Fittler, so Freddie is president of his fan club but I’ll be vice president or something because he is one player, not just because of his Greek heritage but because he can play the game, which I absolutely love.”
Chaos and confusion is taking hold along the border of NSW and Victoria, with a crucial NSW Government website missing in action.
Yesterday, the NSW Government announced residents would require a permit to cross between NSW and Victoria under new COVID-19 border closures.
However, the website of Service NSW does not actually allow people to apply for a permit.
Source: Service NSW at 4:30pm on 7 July 2020.
While the non-existent application process might appear reasonable given the unprecedented situation, reports in today’s The Australian state the NSW Government has been planning for border closures ‘for weeks.’
Images from Albury today show massive cues outside their Service NSW office, as local residents have become desperate for information and advice.
“The NSW Government urgently needs to get on top of this situation,” Shadow Minister for Better Public Services Sophie Cotsis MP said.
“While the border closure is necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19, people who need to cross the border should be able to apply for permits easily online. Having hundreds of people crowd outside Albury’s Service NSW office is not consistent with social distancing.
“The Government cannot claim this situation is unexpected given they have apparently been planning for border closures for weeks.”
“Χαίρετε: It’s really great to see you again” and other greetings in different languages are being splashed across billboards in Sydney’s CBD, as part of a new national ‘Out-of-Home campaign’ launched by JCDecaux.
The campaign aims to say ‘Hello’ to Australians as they steadily return to workplaces, shopping and dining precincts and their regular routines and commutes.
“I’ve been working in the Sydney CBD for over 30 years and it’s the first time I have ever seen the Greek language displayed in Pitt Street or anywhere around the city,” Helen Kofinas Roubis, who first spotted the billboard, tells The Greek Herald.
“I actually felt very proud – much like Mr Portokalis from My Big Fat Greek Wedding!”
The billboards will be displaying greetings in 10 of the most commonly spoken languages across Australia (according to latest ABS data), as well as Auslan for the hearing impaired and traditional First Nation dialects.
“JCDecaux is in a unique position to make meaningful connections with communities, wherever they are, be it in the hearts of cities or deep in the suburbs,” JCDecaux Chief Marketing Officer, Essie Wake, said in a statement.
“The easing of restrictions is seeing people returning to public places, and people have a strong desire to get back to business and spend more time outdoors.
“Our ‘Hello’ campaign acknowledges the return of communities and aims to make people feel welcomed and comfortable moving about within those communities.”
