This comes despite a growing divide between residents and staff on plans to reinstate Leichhardt, Marrickville and Ashfield councils.
In February, Inner West Councillors voted unanimously to form a business case after 62 percent of people in the area voted for the council to spilt in a poll at last year’s council elections.
Independent Councillor John Stamolis.
But Independent Councillor John Stamolis told a meeting last week residents were growing frustrated with the council’s slow response to the vote.
“It’s time to let the political differences go,” Cr Stamolis told the newspaper. “We now need to show good faith to our residents, we need to show them that we’re doing something.”
In response, council general manager Peter Gainsford said the outcome of the demerger poll had been published in the council newsletter distributed to every household earlier this year.
The Andrew N. Liveris building at the University of Queensland (UQ) was officially opened on April 13 to much fanfare.
The building is named after global business leader and one of the UQ’s most accomplished graduates, Andrew Liveris AO.
Mr Liveris attended the opening ceremony, along with the Deputy Premier of Queensland, the Hon. Steven Miles, Chancellor of UQ, Peter Varghese AO, and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry AO.
During his speech, Mr Liveris said he was delighted that the Liveris Building would provide a place for research and learning that will help address the major challenges facing society today.
“[The building] is the physical embodiment of all that my wife Paula and I value – family, education, community, innovation and leadership,” Mr Liveris added on Twitter.
The building houses UQ’s School of Chemical Engineering and is equipped with labs and technology that will spearhead research capabilities most universities have not seen before.
Mr Liveris and his wife generously donated $13.5 million to establish the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership, which is also housed in the new building and gives life to the family’s passion for supporting future generations of leaders.
The Academy is a hub for high-achieving students and now incorporates 80 scholars from across Australia, including seven PhD candidates.
During his visit, Mitsotakis chatted with both former and current drug addicts and staff at the centre, and said he was “really impressed by the quality of the space and the willingness of all employees to support users.”
The new facility offers 12 specially designed booths for the use of injectable or inhalable narcotics already acquired by the user, a clinic, which can handle overdosing incidents, accommodation, counselling and psychological support, and access to detox programs.
The site, which has been nicknamed ‘Steki 46’ (Hangout 46) by those who use it, also provides food and clothes, syringes, condoms and COVID-19 self-diagnostic tests, among other supplies.
Mitsotakis had committed to the creation of an SIS during a meeting he had held with former drug addicts in late 2018, prior to the 2019 summer national elections, noted government sources.
Στη συζήτηση με πρώην τοξικοεξαρτημένους, τα Χριστούγεννα του 2018, είχα δεσμευτεί ότι θα δημιουργήσουμε έναν Χώρο Εποπτευόμενης Χρήσης στην Αθήνα. Αυτό ακριβώς κάναμε με τη δημιουργία του πρώτου ΧΕΧ στην Ελλάδα, το οποίο στεγάζεται στα γραφεία του ΟΚΑΝΑ. pic.twitter.com/275RFuM6Sz
Deputy Health Minister for Mental Health, Zoe Rapti, said setting up the first SIS in Athens was the result of specific legislation and ministerial decisions on its operating conditions.
It is a place that “actually helps to reduce the damage caused by drugs,” Ms Rapti, who visited the centre with the Greek PM, said.
It is a place that will save lives, the Deputy Minister concluded.
The President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, met with Greek Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni, as she prepared to travel to Australia for the Open Horizons Exhibition.
As Chair of the Exhibition’s Community Advisory Group, Bill Papastergiadis, said: “The Open Horizons exhibition brings never travelled artefacts from the Archaeological Museum to the Melbourne Museum.”
“The exhibition will provide all Australians with a unique experience and we are grateful to the State Government and Steve Dimopoulos and Kate Theophanous for making it happen,” Mr Papastergiadis continued.
This clay fragment was once part of a 'krater' – a type of vessel used in Ancient Greece. This fragment was excavated at the site of a burial ground of an elite Athenian family.
“The collaboration with Greece on this matter demonstrates that our state facilitates a truly cosmopolitan and multicultural discourse.”
Minister Mendoni was excited by this trip but noted that in fact she had made previous trips to both Melbourne and Sydney.
The meeting also gave the opportunity for Mr Papastergiadis to discuss further opportunities that could be explored by community groups in Australia and the Ministry of Culture.
Minister Mendoni is set to arrive in Melbourne for the Open Horizons exhibition.
Mr Papastergiadis said to Minister Mendoni that “it has been almost 3 years since we had visited Greece and now is the time to expand the links and projects that can tour between the two countries.”
Minister Mendoni was keen to ensure the dialogue and exchange moved to new levels post COVID.
Mr Papastergiadis also spoke with Dr Karapanagiotidou, Director of the Archaeological Museum of Athens, in regards to her lecture which she would present as part of this exhibition and tour. Dr Karapanagiotidou’s lecture is to take place on 26 April at the Greek Centre.
More than 20,094 Ukrainian refugees, of which 5,754 are children, have arrived in Greece since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, the Greek Citizen Protection Ministry has confirmed.
According to Ekathimerini, in the last 24 hours alone, 236 refugees crossed the border into Greece. There were 55 minors among them.
This comes as Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed on Tuesday that Russia has finally begun its offensive to take control of eastern Ukraine.
“Now we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time,” Zelenskyy said in a video address.
The eastern offensive comes after the western Ukrainian city of Lviv was also hit by a Russian attack. Photo: Jewan Abdi.
“No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight. We will defend ourselves. We will do it every day.”
The announcement from Zelenskyy came as Russia bombarded the western city of Lviv and numerous other targets across Ukraine in what appeared to be an intensified bid to grind down the country’s defences.
Victoria Police is investigating the alleged burglaries of ten Greek Orthodox churches in Melbourne’s city and suburbs over the Easter long weekend, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Australia said in a statement on Monday.
The alleged burglaries took place in the parishes of Panagia Soumela at East Keilor, the Holy Trinity at Footscray, Saint Nicholas at Yarraville, Saint Haralambous Templestowe, Saint Paraskevi at St Albans, Saint Dimitrios Monee Ponds, The Presentation Of Our Lady To The Temple at North Balwyn, The Assumption of the Virgin in Altona, Saint Anargyroi at Oakleigh and the Greek Orthodox bookshop at the church of Axion Esti at Northcote.
The Archdiocese said the alleged burglaries happened when the churches were closed, “therefore the safety of the clergy or laity from the respective parishes was not endangered.”
Saint Nicholas at Yarraville was also targeted.
However, CCTV obtained by Nine News shows a man allegedly stealing a donation bowl from a bench inside the entrance of the Saint Haralambous parish during a service on Saturday.
Nine reported the donation bowl contained $300, and a thief returned to the church to steal more money through the parish’s side entrance.
Victoria Police said officers were investigating this alleged burglary and are working to determine if the incident in Templestowe is linked to the other burglaries.
Police urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via their website.
Two Turkish citizens who flew from Turkey to Greece in a motor glider that fell in the sea off the Greek island of Evia late on Saturday have been arrested and face deportation, government officials said on Monday.
According to Reuters, the Greek coast guard found the two men, ages 32 and 33, on a beach near the town of Karystos on Evia island. They were taken to hospital and arrested as they did not have any travel documents.
Two Turkish citizens who flew from Turkey to Greece in a motor glider that fell in the sea off the Greek island of Evia late on Saturday have been arrested and face deportation.
The two men told authorities they had left Izmir in Turkey and headed toward Athens in order to travel to another country, but their motor glider ran out of fuel and fell in the sea.
This comes as Greek police said on Sunday that a migrant woman was killed by gunfire at the Greece-Turkey land border while she and several others attempted to cross a river separating the two countries.
It was unclear from which side of the border the fatal shot came, or who fired it.
The Board of the Cyprus Community of NSW has released its proposed development plans for The Cyprus Club in Stanmore.
The site is bordered by Stanmore Road, Tupper Street and Alma Avenue in Stanmore and is currently in the rezoning process.
This comes as the Community works towards creating a new hub for Cypriots and the wider local community.
The Development Plans:
The site currently comprises of a car park, six houses owned by the Club along the rear of the site, and the Stanmore Road building at the front of the site, which is approximately 10,000 square metres.
According to the development plans, the Community is proposing to divide the site into four buildings (A, C, D and E), as well as construct an outdoor park space and communal open area for public use.
Proposed plans for the site. Photo supplied.
A number of suggestions for how these buildings will be utilised have been put forward by the Community’s preferred developer, Platino Properties.
Platino Properties is well-known for creating some of Sydney’s most high-profile properties, from waterfront residential apartments to mixed-used precincts and over 55’s communities.
Under the current proposal from Platino, Building A at the front of the site will be retained by the Community and utilised by The Cyprus Club. A dining and gaming area, sports bar, and retail or office space have all been put forward as potential uses for the ground floor of the building.
Rental income from these proposed retail spaces will provide the club with the funds it requires to operate sustainably. The remaining funds will be reinvested to achieve the club’s purposes by way of giving back to the community.
The proposed plans for the Ground Floor of Building A.
For Buildings C, D and E, Platino has proposed the construction of over 55’s residential apartments. These sites will not be sold to Platino but rather leased for 99 years, as negotiated by the Community. This means that the Community will get the land back after 99 years, ensuring the longevity of the Community for future generations.
The Next Steps:
As these proposed development plans are now open to the public, the Community is seeking feedback from its members before it starts the Development Application (DA) process. This process is a formal application for development which is usually made to the local council and consists of standard application forms, supporting technical reports and plans.
Up for discussion with members is how exactly Building A will be used. In particular, what will happen to the upper floors of the building.
Some suggestions which have already been put forward by the Community include: a serviced office space, a function space for the wider community to hire, classrooms, a museum, or even emergency crisis accommodation for victims of domestic violence or those in need in order to give back to the Inner West community.
Platino has proposed the construction of over 55’s residential apartments. Photo supplied.
An exclusive suburb-by-suburb breakdown of NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics data between 2011 and March 2017, revealed that the Inner West suburb of Marrickville had one of the highest number of domestic violence offenders at 382.
Whilst the Inner West Council and local police have a number of initiatives aimed at minimising this domestic violence, the Club’s proposal will make the space a new hub for the wider community and not just Cypriot people, ensuring its future viability.
How can you have your say?
If Community members would like to have their say on any of these proposed developments, the Board is encouraging them to visit the club and view the architectural impressions and plans which are displayed in the foyer.
The rezoning will go to public exhibition on April 26, 2022 and will run for 28 days. The Community is asking members to lodge their support of the rezoning proposal by signing a submission paper that will be available at the reception of the club.
The proposed look of the Club. Photo supplied.
This rezoning process is expected to be completed by late 2022, while the DA Process is anticipated to be completed by late 2023. Work on the site will commence in 2024 and is expected to be completed in two years.
In the meantime, the Community will also be holding formal and informal information sessions regarding the redevelopment process. The first session will be held on April 17 at the Club’s auditorium at 3pm.
If the proposed plan is approved, the community will receive funding to the value of $45 million. These funds will include both a cash component to be paid at some stage during the development period and building costs of the front building for the Club.
For any further questions, please email ccdevelopmentnsw@gmail.com orcontact the club on (02) 9557 1256.
Holy Week is the week that leads into Easter starting from the Sunday before, being Palm Sunday until Holy Saturday.
During this week every year, Christians prepare themselves for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with some special traditions that tie into the importance of Holy Week.
We take you through Holy week and have a look at these special traditions.
Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday:
From Holy Monday, the churches create the atmosphere of mourning for the coming crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ by covering the chandeliers in black and purple material.
Holy Monday is dedicated to two events, one being The Life of Joseph, son of Patriarchal Jacob, and the adventures that reflect the life of Christ and his sufferings.
The second being dedicated to the story of the fruitless fig tree that Christ dried, with the fig tree symbolising the soul of every human who lacks virtue.
Holy Tuesday is dedicated to the parable of the ten virgins, and this parable aims to teach people to be full of faith and charity.
Holy Wednesday is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, who was a close figure to Jesus Christ and was forgiven of her sins because of her strong faith.
Holy Thursday:
On Holy Thursday, Christians commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the twelve apostles.
Preparations are in full swing for Easter by Holy Thursday with most households having been baking their koulourakia (Greek cookies), Tsourekia (Greek brioche) and traditionally dyed hard-boiled eggs. The eggs are usually dyed red which symbolise the blood of Christ.
Tsoureki.
Good Friday:
On Good Friday, the church bells ring all day for the funeral of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, it is said that He died in the ninth hour, so at nine o clock in the evening, the Greek’s follow a symbolic funeral procession.
Each church carries an Epitaphios (a wooden canopied stand representing the tomb of Christ) that is usually covered with flowers of different colours usually decorated by the community during the week.
Holy Saturday:
Holy Saturday is usually the night that all Greeks wait for. During the church service, the congregation stands as they wait for the “Holy Light” to be passed from the priest.
The Resurrection of Christ is celebrated when the clock strikes midnight and the chanters at church begin to sing “Christos Anesti” (Christ is Risen), quickly followed by the congregation joining them in chants.
After attending midnight services at church, families go back home to where they break their fast, usually with home-made Magiritsa or Avgolemono (Chicken soup with lemon).
Easter Sunday:
Easter Sunday is a huge celebration in the Greek Orthodox church as it is the day that the Greeks commemorate Jesus’ resurrection.
This day is usually full of family, love, and plenty of food!
Families gather and usually feast on a traditional lamb on the spit or a roast lunch. Regardless of what you’re eating there will definitely be more smashing of the eggs on Easter Sunday.
During a meeting at the Academy of Athens last week, French President Emmanuel Macron was made an honorary member.
The Academy said that the honour was presented to the President “for the inspired and substantial contribution of Mr Macron in the promotion and strengthening of European unification as well as for the multifaceted and important support of Greece and Cyprus.”
The Academy honoured that Macron had continued the long tradition of close cooperation between Greece and France.
“President Macron offered and continues to offer decisive support to Greece to prevent actions that threaten national sovereignty and peace in general in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said the Academy.
“Both during the critical period of the summer of 2020 and later with the signing of the defence agreement between Greece and France in September 2021,” it continued.
