The Australian government is falling under mounting pressure to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 three weeks ahead of a United Nations global climate summit.
ClimateWorks lead Anna Malos says it will be “an embarrassment” if the Coalition is unable to agree on an emissions reduction target before then.
“It will definitely be an embarrassment for Australia if we don’t set that goal,” Malos tells news.com.au.
“The state and territory governments have set these goals already. They understand the need for clarity, and our companies are crying out for that clarity.”
“Not only would it be an embarrassment on the international stage it would also be a mark against us and for the companies who want to operate and invest in Australia.”
Australia has committed to limiting global warming to below 2, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, as part of the Paris Agreement.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported in August however that Australia has warmed by 1.4 degrees Celsius.
Their report warned Australia will be at the forefront of more frequent and severe weather events unless there are rapid and significant cuts to carbon emissions.
“Without setting that clear net-zero goal, you don’t create the direction that our economy and our communities need,” Malos says.
“I compare it to our Olympians and Paralympians who knew what they wanted and then worked out the steps they need in order to set themselves up to win those medals.”
How will immunocompromised people navigate life with COVID in the community?
Dr. Connie Katelaris has the answers.
Hi Connie! Can you describe what you do and what your specialty or focus is?
I am a clinical immunologist/allergist so I work with children and adults who have all types of allergic disorders – asthma; hayfever and sinusitis; skin allergies such as eczema or hives and swelling; allergic reactions including anaphylaxis to food, drugs, stings, and other substances. On the immunology side, I see people with various autoimmune conditions, inflammatory conditions, and immunodeficiencies where the immune system does not work well and there is a risk of recurrent infections.
Dr. Connie Katelaris is the Head of Department at Campbelltown Hospital
You are Head of Department at Campbelltown Hospital. Can you describe the scene to us? Is the strain on the hospital currently easing or rising?
Our hospital, being in South West Sydney is in an area of great concern and has been extremely busy because of the COVID crisis. We have had up to four wards devoted to COVID patients with junior staff being rostered on around the clock. Many specialists have also been working in these wards and others have taken on work outside of their specialty to help out with all patients. As you can imagine, the intensive care staff have been under huge pressure with very high dependency patients needing intensive care. Many of our nurses have taken on other roles such as well helping out with testing, vaccinations, and overseeing care in the home for those who are not so ill with the infection. Meanwhile, we are all trying to do our “normal tasks” as well; up till now all our outpatient appointments have been via telehealth but hopefully, we can resume face-to-face consultations soon.
How common are allergic reactions to Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines and why can they occur?
Allergic reactions to our COVID-19 vaccines are extremely rare but have been reported with both mRNA vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna at a rate between 4-11 per million. Allergic reactions to the AstraZeneca vaccine are even rarer.
The mechanism of the apparently allergic/anaphylactic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines has yet to be determined. The mRNA vaccines contain polyethylene glycol (PEG), which has rarely been implicated as an allergen in anaphylactic reactions to other PEG-containing products and medications. AstraZeneca vaccine contains polysorbate, and it has also rarely been implicated as an allergen in anaphylactic reactions to polysorbate-containing products and medications. For people with a past history of anaphylaxis to PEG or polysorbate, the respective vaccines are contraindicated.
We have seen a number of people who have had allergic-type reactions after a vaccine and yet under close supervision have been able to tolerate another dose.
We do not list previous anaphylaxis to a food or drug as a reason not to receive the COVID vaccine but such people are advised to be observed for 30 minutes after the vaccine is given. All vaccination centers are equipped to manage allergic reactions.
The TGA is yet to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for children under 12 years old. When can you see under 12’s getting vaccinated?
Children under 12 years of age are not yet able to access COVID-19 vaccines in Australia; the reason for this is that the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines for this age group are still being studied.
Various studies underway in other countries are examining COVID-19 vaccines in children aged between 6 months and 17 years. Once published, the results of these studies will provide further information about the risks and benefits of vaccinating young children against COVID-19. Our health experts examine emerging evidence on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in children and I am sure that once evidence is available we will see approval for this age group in Australia.
NSW has mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for teachers and childcare staff
What do you make of the move to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations in schools & childcare centres?
Children may show mild symptoms of COVID-19 infection such as a sore throat, or they may have no symptoms at all yet even when they are asymptomatic they can still transmit the virus and may spread COVID-19 through schools and family groups.
On the other hand, COVID-19 can cause serious illness in children. though it appears the risk of serious illness and death is lower compared to adults. The risk of serious illness may also depend on the strain of COVID-19, with earlier strains such as alpha, being less problematic but with new strains emerging, more children become unwell and vaccination is one of the best ways to protect them.
There have been over 4,000 cases of COVID-19 in Australian children aged from 0–9 years and over 6,000 cases in children aged 10–19 years.
Research suggests people with immunodeficiencies generate less robust responses to COVID-19vaccines. How can this be addressed?
The term ‘immunocompromised’ applies to a wide variety of conditions and treatments that decrease immune function. Conditions include primary immunodeficiencies present from birth, as well as more common secondary immunodeficiencies resulting from diseases such as HIV-AIDs, diabetes and leukemia. People can also become immunocompromised because of medical treatment needed for treatment after a transplant, or to manage those with certain autoimmune diseases and cancers. Studies of vaccines against other viruses show that immunocompromised populations do not mount the same response to vaccination as non-compromised populations.
Most studies with COVID vaccines so far have examined patients with secondary immunodeficiency and have tracked antibody response to vaccination. These studies indicate that some types of immunocompromised patients do not mount as robust of an antibody response after COVID-19 vaccination as healthy patients.
With the emergence of new strains, the vaccines may not give as much protection as with earlier strains so immunocompromised individuals may not be safe from infection even within highly vaccinated populations. For this reason, advice is now given for certain immunocompromised people to have a third, booster dose after the initial vaccination protocol. This is an area of active research and more information will come from studies examining infection rates in immunocompromised people who have received the vaccination.
COVID-19 restrictions will lift entirely in NSW for everyone on December 1. How will immunocompromised people navigate life with COVID in the community?
I am certain this will cause much anxiety for those who have underlying risk factors. For herd immunity, we need well over 90% of all the population vaccinated so we must still encourage people to seek vaccination. For immunocompromised people, a booster vaccine dose has just been recommended by ATAGI so these people need to check with their doctor regarding their eligibility for the booster. Practising all the health advice measures will still be necessary.
Dr. Connie Katelaris says we will “learn to live with” COVID-19 “a little like the situation with influenza”
How can the community be mindful of these communities and help keep everyone safe?
Although we are ”opening up” as a society, we must be mindful that the virus is still circulating and is likely to be around for some time yet, perhaps for years. We are likely to see fewer infections over summer when people spend a lot of time outdoors but transmission is still very possible with close contact and in indoor environments with poor ventilation. We must follow all health advice at all times, especially practising safe distancing and mask-wearing when indoors as well as good hand hygiene. Remember that the more people that are vaccinated, the safer it is for all of us. In particular, we should get tested if we have any symptoms and isolate as needed. We should all be mindful of those in our society who are more vulnerable – the elderly, children, and those people with underlying chronic diseases including immune deficiencies. I believe this is the duty of all of us in a caring and compassionate society.
What will emerging variants of COVID-19 mean for the community down the road?
All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change or mutate over time. Most changes have little impact on the properties of the virus, however, some may affect how easily it spreads, or how severe the disease might be or alter the effectiveness of the currently available vaccines. We are all familiar with the fact that the influenza virus changes often, which is why we are encouraged to have a new flu vaccine every year.
We have already seen a number of variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge in UK, Brazil, South Africa, and India. Variants may have increased ability to infect people and may show some resistance to currently used vaccines although at present our currently available vaccines are conferring significant protection. In the future, we may need an annual vaccination that has been made with the latest variants in mind.
We must have adequate funding for our scientists to continue studying the genetic sequence of viruses so we know how it is changing.
How do you see life with COVID-19 in the community infive years? Ten years?
I think COVD-19 will be around for years to come. We will learn to live with it a little like the situation with influenza. We will probably need an annual vaccination to cover new strains and unfortunately, we will have deaths each year from this infection so we will all have to practice the well-publicised public health measures continuously.
What advice should someone be given if they are still unsure of the COVID-19 vaccine for either themselves or their loved ones?
Vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic! We need well over 90% of the total population vaccinated in order to have herd immunity and to stop the spread of the virus. This is the only way we will protect ourselves and those most vulnerable to this virus– our parents, grandparents, expectant mothers, those with chronic illness. We should see this as our duty and responsibility.
Tennis world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas has virtually committed to January’s Australian Open.
Tsitsipas, 23, described the tournament’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for participating athletes as “fair”.
“I will play under the conditions that have been set now. I think it’s fair,” he said.
It comes one week after he declined to reveal his vaccination status ahead of the current Indian Wells tournament in California.
“I’m sorry but I’m not able to provide my medical … any of my medical records, or any of my medical status. Thank you,” Tsitsipas said last week.
While the Victorian government has not mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for tennis players, The Age this month confirmed it is probable a separate vaccine mandate will be required for tennis stars.
Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has raised concerns that mandatory vaccination may turn top players away.
St. Demetrios Church hall in inner Melbourne will open its doors as a four-day popup vaccination clinic next week.
People over the age of 16 will be able to book their Pfizer jabs at the church hall between October 20 to 23.
Medical staff of the Port Melbourne Medical Centre will administer the vaccines and Greek-speaking doctors will be provided by the Hellenic Medical Society of Melbourne.
Belmore’s All Saints Grammar School in Sydney ran as a vaccination clinic earlier this year (Photo: Janie Barrett)
St. Eleftherios in Brunswick will follow suit in offering COVID-19 vaccinations from October 27.
It’s a key part of the Greek Community of Melbourne’s campaign with the Victorian Government to “target local communities”.
It comes as the state recorded an all-time high of 2,297 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths on Wednesday.
For more information or to book your appointment, visit Port Melbourne Medical, click here or call 9662 2722.
NSW will open its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers — who will no longer need to quarantine in hotels, or at home — from November 1.
“In addition, probably the most significant announcement we are making is an end to quarantine.” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced on Friday.
“From November 1st, those people returning Australians and tourers who want to come back, who want to visit Australia and coming to Sydney, hotel quarantine will be a thing of the past.”
People wanting to arrive in Sydney from overseas will need to show proof they’ve received a TGA-approved vaccine, and undertake a PCR test for COVID-19 before they board their flight.
NSW is the only state to announce quarantine-free international travel.
Regional travel
Greater Sydney residents will no longer be able to travel regionally until November 1.
“I know for many it will be unpopular, but as Premier I believe it is the right decision,” Perrottet said.
“The reason we have made that decision is best on vaccination rates in front of us.”
He noted that NSW will “probably” hit the 80 percent double dose milestone tomorrow.
Interstate travel
Premier Perrottet says he will continue to work with other Premiers to get NSW residents travelling interstate.
ACT residents will be able to travel to Sydney from November 1.
Greece and the United States signed an agreement on Thursday to renew their long-standing defense cooperation.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) will allow the NATO allies to advance stability in the eastern Mediterranean and beyond.
“The MDCA is the bedrock of our defense cooperation,” Blinken said in a statement.
“Today’s amendment extends the MDCA’s validity, making it consistent with other bilateral defense cooperation agreements between NATO Allies and durable enough to allow for Greece and the United States to advance security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias sign the renewal of the U.S.-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement at the State Department in Washington, U.S. October 14, 2021 (Photo via U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Greece)
The two countries, which have strong political and economic ties, renewed their agreement for five years with an understanding that from then onward, it would remain in place indefinitely unless one of the parties chooses to withdraw.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said the U.S. commitment to Greece showed that both countries are determined to safeguard and protect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The deal comes a few weeks Greece stirred further tensions with Turkey by signing a new defense pact with France.
The Eastern Mediterranean has for decades seen NATO allies Greece and Turkey at odds with each other over competing territorial claims that extend into airspace, energy, and the status of some islands in the Aegean and the ethnically split island of Cyprus.
Tensions flared up last year when Turkish and Greek navy frigates escorted vessels exploring for hydrocarbons. The two sides are seeking to repair their frayed ties but differences remain.
Turkey and Greece held the last round of bilateral talks last week aimed at addressing differences in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.
Severe storms have swept across Greece on Thursday, flooding Athens and prompting evacuations in Evia.
Rescuers were also preparing to use helicopters to lift stranded people off rooftops in Corfu, Civil Protection and Climate Change Minister Christos Stylianides said.
“There is no doubt that we are facing a dangerous weather phenomenon that is very serious in some parts of the country,” he said.
Several dozen people in north Evia were moved out of their homes to stay with friends or at hotel rooms booked by the regional authority.
Passengers evacuate a bus as the rain water flooding an avenue in southern Athens, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Storms battered the Greek capital and other parts of southern Greece, causing traffic disruption and some road closures. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The fire service received over 300 calls in Athens to pump water out of flooded homes, authorities said.
Dozens of vehicles were stranded on flooded roads in Athens, including a man swept by the floods in his car who has since been reported safe.
Private and public sector businesses, public transport, and roads have closed in Athens but flights at Athens International Airport were uninterrupted.
Schools in Athens, Evia, and near Thessaloniki will be closed Friday.
It’s expected the worst of the storm is yet to come, particularly for Evia, Halkidiki, Samos, Ikaria, and the eastern Aegean, but is expected to improve Saturday.
A brief search through the history of the Greek community in Western Australian all points back to one man – Athanasios Avgoustis. He is widely believed to be the first Kastellorizian to settle in the state and was the founding President of the Kastellorizian Association of WA.
And yet despite this pioneering ethos, not many people outside of WA have heard of him. So with the help of two of his grandchildren, Evangeline Galettis OAM and Alexandra Mandalis, The Greek Herald endeavoured to find out more about the life of this incredible man.
Migrating to Australia from Kastellorizo:
Athanasios was born in Kastellorizo in 1870 and was the eldest son of Georgios and Evdokia Avgoustis. At the tender age of 14, Athanasios and his cousins, Dimitrios and Athanasios Manolas, had to flee their homeland after they were involved in a minor sea skirmish with a Turkish ship.
Athanasios’ Port Said passport. Photo supplied.
The boys ended up in Egypt where they worked with the Suez Canal Company. The sight of ships passing southward through the canal aroused in young Athanasios a desire to go to Australia.
He left Egypt, making his passage to Singapore then to Broome, where he worked in the pearl industry for some time. Later he moved to Freemantle and Adelaide, until he eventually returned to Perth and set up business as an oyster and fish merchant.
But after seven years, Athanasios returned to Egypt and married Panaula Komninos on September 25, 1904. When the pair travelled back to Fremantle, Panaula was somewhat disappointed by what she saw.
Athanasios and Panaula Avgoustis. Photo supplied.
“My grandmother came from Port Said, she had been educated in a French convent. She was a lady and here they were in a colony, and it was very, very sparse. There was hardly anything. I think they would have struggled,” Athanasios’ granddaughter, Evangeline Galettis OAM, tells The Greek Herald.
Founding member of the WA Greek community:
Despite this struggle, the Greek couple were still able to look after their family, which included six daughters and three sons.
Using the knowledge he had gained on the pearling grounds of Broome, Athanasios tried to establish oyster beds on a stretch of shore along the Swan River without much luck. Eventually, he was able to keep oysters shipped from Sydney alive and growing in the Swan River at East Fremantle and that’s where he ended up establishing WA’s original oyster bed restaurant.
“That restaurant was a sparkling place because it was the first time there was a restaurant that specialised in oysters. Other things like steak came too but people went in there for the oysters,” Athanasios’ 92-year-old granddaughter, Alexandra Mandalis, tells The Greek Herald.
Alexandra Mandalis at age 17 years in 1946 (left) and this year at age 92 years. Photos supplied.
Later the couple even took many newly arrived Greeks under their care, providing food and shelter until they could find employment.
“The majority of the Greeks in Perth came from the island of Kastellorizo. When many of them arrived at Freemantle, they were in straitened circumstances, but [Athanasios] was always disposed to help them,” an article in the West Australian on May 28, 1932, states.
Of course, the first Greek organisation in WA, of which Athanasios was a founding member, and the establishment of the Kastellorizian Association in 1912 was central to this support as it gave Greek migrants a chance to connect with each other.
Some of Athanasios’ grandchildren (L-R): Eris Kondos, Calypso Papadakis, Alexandra Mandalis and Constantine Mandalis.
During this time, Athanasios also held church services in his home until he pushed for the construction of the Saints Constantine and Helene church in Perth. Prior to this, Greeks had to wait for a priest to pass through the city by ship to conduct weddings and christenings.
“He used to organise everything for weddings and christenings so that he had it all ready when the priest got there at the port… because if they missed the wedding, they had to wait maybe another six or twelve months for the priest to come again,” Ms Mandalis says.
Evangeline Galettis OAM at Athanasios’ old oyster saloon where a photo of him and his family remains. Photos supplied.
Wall and plaque in honour of Athanasios at the residence of his former oyster saloon. Photo supplied.
With all this in mind, it’s clear Athanasios was a pioneering man in WA and one who was dearly missed by all when he passed away in 1932 at the age of 62. His wife continued his legacy, building a restaurant over the river called ‘Auguste’s Oyster Beds’ and running it with the help of three of her daughters, Helene, Gela and Dorothea.
The restaurant ran in the family until 1966 and is now known as ‘the DOME’ restaurant. A plaque sits in the restaurant commemorating the role of Athanasios in WA’s oyster industry and Greek community.
*This article was made possible with the help of information provided by Evangeline Galettis OAM.
In what could be one of the best matches of the season, Stefanos Tsitsipas overcame the relentless attack from Alex De Minaur to reach the quarterfinals at the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells tournament.
The second seed pulled off the miraculous 6-7(3) 7-6(3) 6-2 victory over his Australian opponent, battling back to notch a tour-leading 54th win of the season.
After a tight first set that saw both men exchange breaks, a tiebreak ensued with De Minaur racing to a 5-0 lead before eventually claiming the first set.
There was not much to separate both men in the second set, until Tsitsipas obtained a break and served for the set at 6-5. However, he was immediately broken back by the 22-year old Aussie, to force another tiebreak.
Playing with more confidence than in the first set, Tsitsipas obtained a minibreak to lead 4-2, before escaping with the set.
With the crowd itching for more explosive tennis, it was the World No.3 who got the crucial break in the final set. Backing up his huge serve with devastating forehands, Tsitsipas quickly overwhelmed the 22nd seed, getting a second break before closing out the match after two hours and 44 minutes.
Awaiting the Greek star in the quarterfinals is Nikoloz Basilashvili, who upset 24th seed Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6(6) earlier in the day.
Bachelor of Laws graduate from the University of Sydney (USYD), John-Patrick Asimakis, has been awarded the Peter Cameron Sydney Oxford Scholarship for 2021.
As the recipient, Mr Asimakis has headed to the UK to undertake postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford where he will study a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL).
“The BCL is renowned as the most rigorous Masters-level law degree in the common law world. I am looking forward to making the most of the outstanding teaching that will be on offer,” Mr Asimakis said in a media release.
“I feel absolutely honoured to have been awarded this scholarship. Without the generous support the scholarship provides, studying at Oxford would simply not be possible for me.”
Mr Asimakis’ academic accomplishments as a Bachelor of Laws student at USYD included being the 2019 University Medallist in Law and receiving numerous academic prizes. He was also a reporter, volunteer, and skilled mooter. He graduated with honours.
Greek Australian, John-Patrick Asimakis, has received a prestigious Oxford scholarship.
To add to his impressive list of achievements, Mr Asimakis speaks four modern languages, and knows Latin and Classical Greek.
He says he plans to practice law and “to continue contributing to legal study by writing and teaching.”
“I genuinely loved my undergraduate studies in law. At the risk of sounding cynical, I don’t think all or even most law students could honestly say that. So pursuing further study in law is something that has always appealed to me,” Mr Asimakis said.
He concluded by giving advice to others who also want to pursue law.
“Be open minded about where you may end up. There are lots of career paths which someone with a law degree can fruitfully pursue.”
