The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia (FECCA) is inviting multicultural community groups to apply for funding to conduct their own communication activity on COVID-19 aimed at keeping their communities safe.
FECCA is working with the Federal Government and other organisations to fund Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) groups to provide important COVID-19 health messages to their communities.
Under a Commonwealth-funded Small Grants Fund, FECCA will work with CALD community groups to assist them in delivering critical health information and advice on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination rollout.
FECCA Chief Executive Officer, Mohammad Al-Khafaji, said the program will support culturally appropriate and relevant information on COVID-19 and the vaccination delivery.
“The most effective way to deliver these important messages, is a community led response. We must support and equip them,” Mr Al-Khafaji said.
“The funding program will deliver grants for community groups to undertake and lead targeted communication activities on COVID at the grass roots level.”
The Small Grants program aims to achieve the following:
Foster community involvement and participation;
Overcome barriers to accessing information on COVID 19 and the vaccination program;
Provide opportunities for the community to identify local issues and respond to them;
Encourage communities that have a hesitancy about the vaccines; and
Encourage partnerships among community organisations in this space.
Multicultural communities are invited to apply for grants of up to $5,000. Further information can be found at www.fecca.org.au/smallgrants.
It’s another big day with regards to COVID-19 news across Australia. Here’s The Greek Herald‘s lowdown on what’s happening with borders and in the three lockdown states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
New South Wales:
NSW recorded 124 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday. It’s the highest daily number of new infections since the current Delta variant outbreak began on June 16.
The NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said she expected numbers to continue to rise.
“We hit another record of 85,000 tests, which means in the last two days alone, we’ve had around 170,000 people get tested. As a result, unfortunately, case numbers have gone up again,” she said.
NSW recorded 124 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/4y3TvoDUpF
She said of the new cases, 48 were infectious while in the community.
“Now, given that number of infectious in the community, I’m expecting case numbers to go up even higher,” she said.
The Premier said the virus had, as predicted, continued to spread into the Canterbury-Bankstown local government area, spilling over from the Fairfield local government area.
The two main areas of transmission are in homes and workplaces, and the Premier warned there would be more hospitalisations.
NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian.
“Unfortunately, when our health experts are interviewing families within households, we’re learning that they have visited families in other households and the disease is spreading through that way but unfortunately, also, in workplaces,” she said.
The Premier said the case numbers were “very concerning.”
Victoria:
Victoria has recorded 26 new local COVID-19 cases, the highest daily figure this year.
All the new cases are linked to known outbreaks, and 24 of the 26 cases were in quarantine throughout their entire infectious period.
There were 43,674 test results received on Wednesday.
Victorians are in lockdown until at least July 27 to contain the outbreak. Photo: ABC News: Cristalyn Brown.
It brings the number of active infections in the state to 146, including those in hotel quarantine.
There are now more than 380 exposure sites across Victoria, with new locations being added late last night.
South Australia:
South Australia has today recorded two new cases connected to its latest COVID–19 outbreak, as the statewide lockdown continues.
They are a brother and sister in their 20s who went to the Tenafeate Creek winery north of Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.
This comes after the state reported six new cases of COVID-19 during a late night press conference on Wednesday.
😷Masks are mandatory in public when you leave your home for any of the 5 essential reasons.
You can use a single-use surgical mask or a cloth mask.
Health authorities said five of the cases were at the Tenafeate Creek Winery in Yattalunga, north of Adelaide, which was visited by someone with Covid on Sunday afternoon.
They included a man aged in his 40s, a woman and a man in their 50s, a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 80s.
The sixth new case was a young child under five, who attended the Greek on Halifax restaurant in Adelaide’s CBD on Saturday night.
The Greek on Halifax restaurant is in Adelaide’s CBD. Photo: ABC News: Matthew Smith.
“I would say that both the Greek on Halifax and this winery are examples of super-spreading events and yes it is very serious,” Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said on Wednesday.
Professor Spurrier said the winery at Yattalunga was often busy and The Greek on Halifax had a busy night on Saturday.
“So I think people in South Australia do need to prepare themselves for more cases, that’s certainly my expectation,” she said.
Queensland:
Queensland’s border will close to New South Wales from 1:00am tomorrow, acting Premier Steven Miles says.
There were no new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Queensland on Thursday.
📢 Three new hotspots declared in NSW
Following an increase of COVID-19 cases in NSW and further local restrictions announced by the state government, Queensland is declaring three LGAs a hotspot from 1am Thursday, 22 July.
Mr Miles said masks would still need to be worn for seven more days in 11 council areas around south-east Queensland, but other restrictions would be eased.
The Sunshine State also shut its border to South Australia and parts of New South Wales overnight due to the worsening COVID situation.
Western Australia:
Western Australia is imposing a hard border with South Australia, Premier Mark McGowan says.
It has been reclassified as a medium risk state, meaning only travelers with an exemption can enter WA. The hard border comes into force at midday today.
The administrators appointed to a group of companies at the centre of a $400 million alleged fraud say they are within 24 hours of reaching an agreement to sell the main business unit, Forum Group.
According to The Australian Financial Review (AFR), during an adjourned creditors meeting on Wednesday, Domenic Calabretta of Mackay Goodwin said negotiations were almost complete to sell Forum Group to an interested suitor, just before it was removed in its role over certain entities in the broader Forum group.
That includes Forum Finance, Forum Group Financial Services, Forum Enviro Australia.
Westpac is the largest creditor to the group and is chasing the whereabouts of more than $285 million of money it lent to Forum Finance.
A Federal Court hearing is scheduled for this afternoon.
Other banks have also revealed large exposures through Federal Court claims. Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui has an exposure of about $100 million to the alleged fraudulent scheme while Société Générale says it has $12 million of exposure, the AFRreported.
On Wednesday, the bank successfully sought a replacement of Mackay Goodwin with McGrath Nicol as liquidators to the broader group. The AFR said this move was supported by other creditors, given the extensive inter-company transactions between the entities.
Meanwhile Basile Papadimitriou, also known as Bill Papas, the director of the Forum companies, has yet to return to Australia from Greece, after departing some time in late June.
France and the United States on Wednesday publicly criticised a move by Turkish Cypriot authorities to partially reopen an abandoned town in Cyprus for potential resettlement.
Turkish Cypriots said on Tuesday that part of Varosha would come under civilian control and people would be able to reclaim properties – angering Greek Cypriots who accused their Turkish rivals of orchestrating a land-grab by stealth.
Varosha, an eerie collection of derelict high-rise hotels and residences in a military zone nobody has been allowed to enter, has been deserted since a 1974 war split the island.
Varosha has been deserted since a 1974 war split the island of Cyprus.
French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, discussed the matter with his Cypriot counterpart on Tuesday and will raise the topic at the United Nations, a spokesperson for Le Drian’s ministry said.
Cyprus is represented in the EU by an internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government. France presides over the UN Security Council this month.
“France strongly regrets this unilateral move, upon which there had been no consultations, which constitutes a provocation and harms re-establishing the confidence needed to get back to urgent talks over reaching a fair and long-lasting solution to the Cypriot question,” Le Drian’s spokesperson said.
In the US, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said any attempt to reopen Varosha would be at odds with UN resolutions and commitments to resume peace talks.
“The US is working with like-minded partners to refer this concerning situation to the UN security council and will urge a strong response,” he said in a statement.
In congressional testimony, US Undersecretary of State, Victoria Nuland, also condemned the Turkish resettlement plan.
Peace efforts have repeatedly floundered on the ethnically split island. A new Turkish Cypriot leadership, backed by Turkey, says a peace accord between two sovereign states is the only viable option.
Greek Cypriots reject a two-state deal for the island that would accord sovereign status to the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state that only Ankara recognises.
Sydney’s longest running delicatessen, Olympic Continental Deli, has closed its doors after 65 years in Bankstown Plaza, the Local News Plus has reported.
Olympic Deli was established by the Karpouzis family in 1956 and has been serving generations of locals in the Canterbury-Bankstown region ever since.
Panagiotis (Peter) Karpouzis migrated to Australia in 1948 from the village of Paleokipos, Lesvos. He became business partners with Manolis Lagoutaris in a milk bar at Guildford. An opportunity arose to lease premises on Chapel Street, Bankstown, and Manolis and Panagiotis instantly opened Olympic Deli.
At that time, delicatessens were the trojan horse of the Australian cuisine as they initially only imported goods across Europe to cater for the European migrants.
But Manolis and Panagiotis catered for all their customers’ range of needs and tastes, learning how to make small goods, smoke their meats and make their own continental sausages.
Manolis passed away in 1980 and Panagiotis retired four or five years ago, with daughter Joanne at the helm since then.
“I’ve worked here for 30 years and I’m now caring for dad and mum who has dementia,” Joanne told Local News Plus.
Sydney’s longest running delicatessen, Olympic Deli, closes its doors after 65 years. Photo: Vasilis Vasilas.
“I’ve been in mourning for the shop for a while now because it was getting too much for me. I have a nephew who doesn’t live in Australia but if he did, we may have continued as he loved it. It’s not easy to leave, me and my two sisters were born upstairs, this is our second home. But after working 50 or 60 hours a week, it’s time to say goodbye.
“Also COVID knocked us around last year and we had a big drop in business; most younger people now would rather shop at a supermarket, so it’s definitely time to go.
“Dad, mum, my sisters and myself would like to thank all of our wonderful customers over the years; we will miss you more than you know.”
French planemaker, Dassault Aviation, delivered on Wednesday the first Rafale fighter jet to the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) in a ceremony at the company’s flight test center in Istres, southern France.
The event was attended by Greek Defense Minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, and General Konstantinos Floros, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA).
The delivery of the first jet came six months after Greece signed a 2.5 billion euro deal with France to buy 18 Rafale warplanes, 12 of them used.
— GEN Konstantinos Floros (@ChiefHNDGS) July 21, 2021
According to the company, the first six aircraft will be used to further train the HAF pilots and technicians in Dassault’s conversion training center in Merignac before they are deployed to the Tanagra base near Athens.
“The Rafale will provide the HAF with a latest-generation multirole fighter, enabling the Hellenic Republic to ensure its geostrategic stance in full sovereignty,” Dassault said in a statement.
“The delivery of the first Rafale is a clear demonstration of France’s determination to meet the government of the Hellenic Republic’s expectations and to participate actively [in protecting] the sovereignty of the country.”
Θαυμάζοντας τα Εθνικά μας Χρώματα στο 1ο #Rafale! Πραγματικά μοναδική στιγμή για την #ΠΑ και τις 🇬🇷 #ΕΔ. Εν αναμονή για τις ακόμα 17 «Ριπές» που θα «αλλάξουν τα δεδομένα», εξασφαλίζοντας καθαρό στρατηγικό πλεονέκτημα στους Ουρανούς μας!! @Hellenic_MOD@Armees_Gouv@hndgspiopic.twitter.com/9SGVQNyZF4
— GEN Konstantinos Floros (@ChiefHNDGS) July 21, 2021
During the ceremony, Dassault chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier, described the Rafale as a “strategic game changer” for Greece.
“Following the Mirage F1 in 1974, the Mirage 2000 in 1985 and the Mirage 2000-5 in 2000, the Rafale is now proudly flying with the Hellenic Air Force colors,” Mr Trappier said.
“[The Rafale] will play an active role by securing Greece’s leadership as a major regional power.”
At least five people have been arrested after police clashed with demonstrators protesting against compulsory vaccination in central Athens.
Police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water canon to disperse the crowds from Syntagma Square, in front of the parliament building.
An estimated 3,500 people took part in the protests.
Demonstrators hold a Greek flag during a protest against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccinations outside the parliament building, in Athens, Greece, July 21, 2021. Photo: Reuters/Costas Baltas.
Some protesters wore religious garb while others carried icons and Greek flags. Leaflets from far-right parties were also distributed at the protests.
According to the police, the trouble started when protesters were requested to clear Amalias Avenue, where they were obstructing traffic.
When protestors started throwing bottles and other objects at the police, the police responded with water canon and tear gas.
A protester scuffles with riot police officers during a protest against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccinations outside the parliament building, in Athens, Greece, July 21, 2021. Photo: Reuters/Costas Baltas.
Outside the University of Athens, there were clashes between anti-authoritarians and anti-vaccination protestors.
Meanwhile in Thessaloniki, citizens, responding to an call put out on the internet, held a rally and march against compulsory vaccination.
The demonstrators gathered in the White Tower and then marched through the main streets of the city, holding banners, Greek flags, crosses and icons and shouting slogans against the government and mandatory vaccination.
Anti-vaccine protesters hold a banner during a rally at Syntagma square, central Athens, on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis
These protests come after the Greek Health Ministry submitted an amendment to Parliament on Wednesday according to which healthcare professionals will remain on unpaid leave if they do not get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Infections in Greece have been rising in recent weeks, and authorities reported almost 3,000 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 463,473 people. More than 12,800 have died.
Brisbane has won the right to host the Olympic Games in 2032.
The decision was confirmed after a meeting of International Olympic Committee delegates in Tokyo this evening.
Queensland’s delegation — including Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck — had to restrain themselves to standing and clapping with COVID-19 restrictions ruling out any close-contact celebrations.
Brisbane’s CBD riverside erupted in fireworks as the announcement was made.
Following the announcement, Ms Palaszczuk, Cr Schrinner and Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates took part in the formal signing of the Olympics contract.
Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, has been confirmed as host for the 2032 Olympic Games. Photo: Jaimi Joy/Reuters.
Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games president Hashimoto Seiko congratulated Brisbane on its winning bid.
“My heartfelt congratulations go to the people of Brisbane and Australia,” he said.
“Over the past year, the world’s sporting community has faced the multiple challenges of COVID-19; however, under the steadfast leadership of IOC president Thomas Bach, the Olympic movement has made steady progress, culminating in today’s decision in favour of Brisbane.”
Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, also said in a statement securing the Games was a coup for the nation.
“It’s a historic day not just for Brisbane and Queensland, but for the entire country,” the Prime Minister said.
“Only global cities can secure the Olympic Games – so this is fitting recognition for Brisbane’s standing across our region and the world.
“It’s a proud day for Queenslanders and Australians everywhere.”
The Evangelismos Church in east Melbourne has been given a donation to fund massive restorations to repair “significant damages” caused by a fire five years ago.
The heritage-listed church will upgrade its flooring, lighting, and seating following a donation to the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) by a well-known benefactor.
“The works to now be funded … include the installation of a finished floor, the purchase and installation of the churches chandelier lighting and the purchase and installation of the pews for the church proper,” a statement from the GCM reads.
So far, the mezzanine has been rebuilt, the heritage-listed LED light windows have been replaced, and ongoing archaeological work continues to restore the “templo”.
The Evangelismos Church in Melbourne on the day of the blaze (Left: The Age/Jarrod Kiven) (Right: Julian Smith/AAP)
“Andreas Andrianopoulos … recently met with GCM president Bill Papastergiadis, Vice President Tammy Iliou, church priest Father Antonios Vanikiotis and members of the church committee to further commit to funding” the restorations ahead of the church’s 120th anniversary next year.
Andreas and the Andrianopoulos family have close ties and are significant supporters of the restoration of the church and benefactors of the GCM.
The church is the second oldest Greek Orthodox church in Australia and remains a historic staple within the Greek Orthodox community in Melbourne.
“For many years, it was the only church we had, it was a meeting place, a place where we celebrated our greatest joys, and our deepest sorrows,” Mr. Andrianopoulos said.
GCM president Mr. Papastergiadis echoed a similar sentiment.
“Our community was founded with the support of benefactors,” he says.
“Construction of Evangelismos was made possible in the late 1890’s as a result of the generous donations of early Greeks in Melbourne.”
The church closed for two years following the fire which broke out during Orthodox Easter celebrations, leading 200 in neighboring buildings to evacuate and causing caused an estimated $500,000 in damages, according to Mr. Papastergiadis, in mid-2016.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has made NBA history as the Milwaukee Bucks claimed their second ever NBA Championship with their 4-2 series win over the Phoenix Suns.
Defeating the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in the sixth and decisive game of the NBA Finals, the Bucks got their first championship since 1971.
Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo made history as he finished the night with 50 points, becoming just the seventh player to ever hit that mark in a Finals game.
There are few players in all of sports I actively root for. Giannis is one of them. I’m crying, you’re crying, we’re all crying. pic.twitter.com/vJSOyIcDCf
The Greek Freak was outstanding for the Bucks on the day, also getting 13 rebounds and being an overall dominating presence on the court. The emotional player broke down after the final buzzer, embracing his wife and young child.
Giannis was named MVP of the match.
“I want to thank Milwaukee for believing in me,” Antetokounmpo said after the victory. “I thank my teammates, they played hard every freaking game.
“I trusted this team. I wanted to do it here in this city, I wanted to do it with these guys so I’m happy. I’m happy I am able to get it done.”
