Peter Crinis has stepped down as chief of Crown Sydney just six months into the role and will wrap up his over 20-year run with the battered company in December.
Staff at the Barangaroo site were informed of Crinis’s intention to depart early on Monday, just days after Margin Call revealed he had been making contingency plans.
He’s the latest in a series of casualties who’ve headed for the exit in recent months but it was Mr. Crinis’ decision to quit, rather than a situation of being forced out, which draws his time at Crown Resorts to a close, the Australian reports.
Mr. Crinis has so far escaped being dragged into any of Crown’s several inquiries, with just one mention in the Commissioner, Patricia Bergin’s, final report into Crown Sydney, regarding an overseas trip he took with then chairman John Alexander.
Peter Crinis joined Crown Resorts Melbourne in 1997 and has been the chief operating officer for the past 10 years.
He moved to Sydney as chief executive officer of chief operating officer in January ahead of the official (non-gaming) launch of their Barangaroo site.
Mr. Crinis launched a new corporate entity, Anchor Consulting Co., last month.
No real estate auctioneer ever imagines to be the subject of intimidation from a bikie gang or a knife attack, but desperate times have called for desperate measures for those wishing to buy a property in Sydney’s red-hot market.
As the housing market heats up, prices go through the roof, and buyer competition becomes tougher than ever, auctioneers like Tom Panos have accepted to expect the unexpected.
Mr. Panos tells the Daily Telegraph he had the most bizarre of his real estate nightmares come true.
“I was auctioning this Newtown home and had been talking it up on TV and during the auction, saying what a great place it was etc and the vendor was obviously paying a lot of attention,” Mr Panos says.
“After the home was sold under the hammer we went inside and the vendor said: ‘I’ve been listening to everything you have said and you’re right, this is paradise. I’ve decided I want to stay so I’m not selling’”.
Mr Panos put his foot down and grappled with the former owner over the fact that he had sold their house.
“He was OK the next day but he definitely had cold feet,” he says.
“I’ve never seen something like that before or since,” Mr Panos said.
Tom Panos has 35 years of experience in the industry and this certainly wasn’t the first or last time he’s witnessed the worst in home buyers.
The live stream of his $1.425m sale of a home in Belfield, in southwest Sydney, was flooded by dozens of ‘racist’ comments among the two-to-three million who tuned in in April.
Westpac has widened its actions against Forum Finance and boss Bill Papas by targeting a suite of linked corporate entities, as investigations into an alleged $294 million fraud grow.
According to The Australian, the Federal Court ordered on Monday that National Australia Bank and four Forum Group companies, including Forum Enviro and Forum Group Financial Services, hand over documents to the court by Wednesday.
The orders require a copy of the most recent audited or unaudited financial statements and management accounts of four Forum Group companies.
They also call for a copy of bank account statements and debtors ledgers from the four companies from August 1, 2018 to now, The Australianreports.
Court documents show two plastic tubs of documents were removed from equipment leasing firm Forum Finance’s Walker Street office in North Sydney, as part of a search order.
Those same documents reveal holders of Forum Finance’s computer services blocked attempts from Westpac’s technical experts to access the company’s electronic records.
According to The Australian, an annexed email from Corrs Chambers Westgarth partner, Felicity Healy, shows when she attended Forum Finance’s offices on June 29 she was told OurKloud, the holders of the company records, was controlled by a relative of Mr Papas.
The first attempt on June 30 to access the records proceeded days of fruitless attempts of communication before Justice Michael Lee ordered OurKloud to hand over the records on July 7.
Westpac Australia’s exposure to the alleged fraud is a combined $294m – $254.5m from Westpac Australia and $39.8m from Westpac New Zealand.
The whereabouts of Mr Papas, whose full name is Basile Papadimitriou, remain unknown.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has issued a message of support to the Greek Orthodox community in Sydney, who are currently experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and lockdown restrictions.
In his message, Archbishop Makarios said that it is our duty “not to leave anyone alone in the crisis,” and encouraged people to get vaccinated against COVID- 19 “in order to achieve the best possible control of the pandemic.”
Full Message in English:
My beloved brethren and children in the Lord,
It is a fact that in recent weeks, the nightmare of the pandemic has resumed in Australia, plaguing, in particular, the state of New South Wales and its capital, Sydney. For this reason, state authorities have enacted strict measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus. The thoughts of all of us, at this critical time, are with the dozens of people who have contracted the virus and are being treated in various hospitals. I ask that you please pray for the speedy recovery of those who are ill, and that their relatives and friends be given strength as they live through moments of apprehension and mental anguish. Let us also pray for the repose of the soul of the first victim, for this year, with coronavirus.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
At the same time, it is our duty to reflect upon the economic and social consequences of the current crisis and to seek solutions for our fellow human beings who are being severely affected by the current constraints. I urge all Greeks, and every person of good will, to mobilise all their reserves of love and compassion in order to create a strong net of protection for those who are suffering and in need. Our local Church is firmly at the forefront of this struggle. The Greek Welfare Centre of our Holy Archdiocese, under the direction of the distinguished Mr Steve Magdas has, for many years, been performing remarkably and now, in light of recent developments, the staff and volunteers are constantly intensifying their efforts to meet increased needs. Anyone who requires help is encouraged to contact the Greek Welfare Centre on (02) 9516 2188 or with those who are in charge of local parishes. Furthermore, I fervently plea with all our brethren, if they are aware of anyone, be it a relative or a person from their wider social environment, who needs any kind of support, to immediately inform the Greek Welfare Centre, or their local parish, or the offices of our Holy Archdiocese. We have a duty not to leave anyone alone in this crisis but to face and overcome it with a spirit of solidarity and unity.
In addition, I take this opportunity to ask you, once again, to strictly follow the instructions and guidelines of the health experts and relevant government authorities in order to tackle the pandemic as effectively as possible and to free us from the unbearable constraints as quickly as possible. I also urge, with paternal love and responsibility, if you have not already done so, to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to achieve the best possible control of the pandemic. Unfortunately, Australia has one of the lowest rates of people who are vaccinated among the population compared to other countries in the world. We must not forget that vaccination constitutes an act of self-protection, but, primarily, it is an act of love and solidarity for our family, community, and the wider society to which we belong.
I join my prayers with those of the God-loving Bishops of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, wishing you all good health and strength, and praying that our benevolent God strengthens everyone and quickly frees humanity from this terrible ordeal of the pandemic.
In the Palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete, a magnificent throne room built during the 15th century BC is considered the oldest such room in Europe.
The palace was built by the Minoans, an Aegean civilisation known for their elaborate palaces and beautiful frescoes.
The Minoan civilisation flourished from about 3000 BCE to around 1500 BCE, eventually falling under the rule of late Bronze Age Mycenaean Greece.
The first palace of Knossos was constructed around 2000 BCE. It was later destroyed in an earthquake around 1720 BCE.
The famous dolphin fresco. Photo: Stock Photos from GEORGIOS TSICHLIS/Shutterstock.
The rebuilt palace is what remains today—a complex of frescoed rooms, magnificent columns, and zig-zagging stairs. The palace served as the administrative and ceremonial headquarters of the Minoan realms.
The throne room:
The throne room itself was unearthed in 1900 by British archaeologist Arthur Evans, during the first phase of his excavations in Knossos.
It was found in the center of the palatial complex and west of the central court. The chamber contains an alabaster seat on the north wall, identified by Evans as a “throne,” while two Griffins resting on each side are gazing at it, seemingly paying their respects to the figure who sits there.
The throne room at Knossos, featuring frescoed walls. Photo: Stock Photos from ANTON CHYGAREV/Shutterstock.
The room also includes a stone bowl which may have been used in religious rituals. The frescos along the walls of the room depict griffins.
Although the throne room may have been used by a ruler, it also may have been purely ceremonial with the throne reserved for the presence of a god or goddess.
Today, Knossos can be visited by travellers and history buffs. Along with other Minoan palaces, Knossos is currently on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
South-west Sydney has remained the focus of the state outbreak, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian imploring those who live in the area not to leave the house unless they absolutely positively have to, but Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant admitted that “the risk exists everywhere”.
People between the ages of 20-50 make up a percentage of those in ICU with COVID.
Queensland records two new local COVID-19 cases:
Queensland recorded three new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, one in hotel quarantine and two in home quarantine.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeanette Young, said the returned overseas traveller arrived from the UK via Singapore.
She confirmed the other two local cases were linked to the cluster from a Greek Orthodox administration building.
“Both are well, symptom free, and so they have already been spoken with and they have remained in their homes and there are other people living in those households [that] have also been in their homes,” Dr Young said.
“So there is no risk at all with those two individuals… But it does prove that it doesn’t matter how many negative tests you get, you can up to that 14 days incubation period still test positive.”
Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said they were monitoring the situation in New South Wales, and would not hesitate to shut the border if needed.
“We just heard breaking news that there is a positive case in Goulburn,” she said.
“We want Queenslanders to come home because the situation is unfolding each day in NSW… So if we do see it spreading to other parts of NSW we won’t hesitate to shut the border.”
Victoria has already closed its borders to New South Wales and ACT, declaring them as “red zones.”
Greece will begin work on the billion-dollar EastMed pipeline by conducting seismic surveys off the Cyprus coast.
Greece, Cyprus, and Israel have leased a research vessel to conduct the surveys between Cyprus and Crete, and between Cyprus and Israel, as part of the groundwork for the planned natural gas pipeline.
Crete, Greek, and REUTERS/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS
The Nautical Geo vessel will sail off the coast of Cyprus within Greece’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which covers over 500,000 square kilometres of the Mediterranean, Ionian, and Aegean seas.
When the work will commence and what kind of work will be carried out remains unknown.
The lease follows Turkey’s announcement to begin conducting surveys and searching for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey’s state-owned energy company Türkiye Petrolleri AO (Turkish Petroleum Cooperation) applied for a licence to explore for crude oil in the eastern Mediterranean last week.
Greece, Cyprus and Israel agreed to build the pipeline to connect the Middle East and southeastern Europe’s supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in January 2020.
The 1,250-kilometre pipeline is designed to pump between 9 and 12 billion cubic metres of offshore gas a year from Israel, Egypt, and Cyprus through Greece to the European Union.
It intends to reduce the European Union’s reliance on Russian and Caucasus gas but risks tampering Europe’s net zero by 2050 target.
The Nautical Geo vessel, which is registered in Malta, is used for worldwide operations.
Greece has enforced mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for hesitant healthcare workers.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ordered aged care workers to book in their COVID-19 jab immediately but gave healthcare workers more leeway in his announcement on Sunday.
“After a year and a half, no one can claim ignorance about the coronavirus anymore,” he announced in a nationally televised address.
“The country will not shut down again due to attitude adopted by certain people … It’s not Greece that’s a danger, but unvaccinated Greeks.”
Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis announces the new measures
Aged care workers have been given 34 days to book their vaccination appointment or risk facing suspension.
Workers at state-run and private hospitals will have just over two months to book in their jab before their September 1 deadline comes into full force.
Those who miss out before the deadline will risk suspension.
All indoor commercial areas – including bars and theatres – will be open exclusively to those who are vaccinated until the end of August, as part of the announcement.
The new restrictions will apply nationwide.
Greece’s bio-ethics committee recommended mandatory jabs for aged care workers be used “as a last resort measure” if prior efforts to ramp up the rollout fail.
An opinion poll on Skai television this week revealed that a majority of Greeks support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for specific groups.
It follows a series of coercive measures to target Greece’s unvaccinated and vaccine-hesitant reward the vaccinated, including offering cash incentives to encourage younger Greeks.
Just over 40% of residents have been fully vaccinated since the rollout began earlier this year but appointments have been falling in recent weeks, Reuters reports.
COVID-19 infections have surged since late June, with the number of daily infections per 100,000 residents over seven days rising from 3.5 to 17 since June 24.
Greece recorded 1,465 new cases and five deaths on Sunday, according to the National Public Health Organisation (NPHO).
Reverend Father George Liangas from St Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Burwood is doing his bit to help spread COVID-19 stay at home orders in Greek by featuring in NSW Health’s latest video campaign.
In the campaign, Father Liangos can be heard urging the local Greek community to stay at home unless for the four following reasons:
To shop for food or other essential goods and services.
For medical care or compassionate needs.
To exercise; or
For essential work or education when you cannot work or study from home.
“You can leave your home to receive a COVID-19 test or to be vaccinated,” Father Liangas continued, before stressing that no visitors are allowed to one’s household.
The parish priest’s inclusion in the NSW Health campaign was made possible with the help of St Nectarios Board Member, Christina Efthymiades, who is also a member of Multicultural NSW’s Regional Advisory Committee.
Ms Efthymiades was asked on Friday to support NSW Health’s campaign to help communicate details of the latest COVID-19 stay at home orders in community languages.
Father Liangas’ message has so far resonated with the local Greek community, with many urging others to share the message widely to their parents, grandparents and other Greek speakers across the state.
Underworld travel routes across international borders have been busy as Australia’s most wanted fugitives hiding overseas are on the move in the wake of learning that their encrypted chats had been monitored by cops, The Daily Telegraphreports.
Codenamed Ironside, the Anom operation which handed 25 million messages to the FBI and the Australian Federal Police, has given Australian law enforcement the upper hand.
“There is no doubt that Ironside has caused a massive disruption in the criminal sphere,” AFP Detective Sergeant Matt Stocks told The Daily Telegraph.
James Dalamangas leaves a Sydney court in 1998. The Daily Telegraph.
Among those on the move, according to The Daily Telegraph, is James Dalamangas, 51, who has been on Australia’s most wanted list the longest at over 20 years.
He remains on the run in Greece where as a dual Australian and Greek national, the Greek government has refused to extradite him. They have agreed to prosecute him in Greece if he is ever caught.
The Daily Telegraph reports that he was involved in a brawl at Star City Casino where his brother Peter was killed in 1998. He fled Australia in 1999 after fatally stabbing father-of-two George Giannopoulos inside a Greek nightclub in Belmore. He is also wanted over the shooting murder of bouncer Tim Voukelatos.
Dalamangas is allegedly on the move. Photo: NSW Police Force.
But police sources told The Daily Telegraph that Dalamangas, who is believed to have put on weight and has a $200,000 bounty on his head, has not got away with it.
He was seen out clubbing in Athens with underworld figure John Macris weeks before Macris was assassinated in late 2018.
“It is not impossible that he will be grabbed. When we get information about him, we pass it on to the Greek authorities,” a police source said.
