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NSW Police Detective Superintendent Arthur Kopsias retires after four decades of service

The Greek Herald
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NSW Police Detective Superintendent Arthur Kopsias retires after four decades of service

Detective Superintendent Arthur Kopsias APM, registered number 18141, joined the NSW Police Force on 17 April 1978, commencing his career by marching in at the Redfern Police Academy as class 159.

Athanasios Kopsias was born in Sparti, Greece, migrating to Australia with his parents in 1960 where he lived in Surry Hills and Redfern during his childhood and schooling years.

He was attested as a Probationary Constable on 26 June 1978 and completed his secondary training working general duties at Maroubra Police Station. He transferred to criminal investigation duties where he performed training at No 21 Division – Criminal Investigation Branch and the Gaming Squad, as well as at Waverley, Randwick, Mascot and Rose Bay Police Stations. He successfully obtained his designation as a Detective in 1983.     

From 1984 to 1996 he worked with the Internal Affairs Branch, State Intelligence/Investigation, Legal Services, Region Operations and Special Projects in many varied roles and in particular the investigation, arrest and prosecution of offenders for serious and major criminal offences.

In 1990, he was promoted to Detective Sergeant where he was working at the Legal Services Branch as the Commissioner’s Advocate involving Promotion Appeals at the Government and Related Appeals Tribunal (GREAT). 

In 1993, he was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and consequently in 1995, attained his legal practising certificate at the College of Law where he used his legal skills within the organisation and whilst seconded to the Wood Royal Commission into the NSW Police and the Police Integrity Commission involving allegations of serious crime and corruption by police officers.

In 1995, he was promoted to Detective Inspector of the Special Projects Unit – State Investigative Group (Region Support). He was responsible for the implementation of a number of significant recommendations handed down from the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service, namely the reform of criminal investigation practices, evidence and procedures which brought about many important and improved changes for the NSW Police. 

In 1999, he was promoted to Chief Inspector where he took Command of the Telephone Interception Branch, under the Special Services Group. In 2006, he was promoted to Superintendent at the Telecommunications Interception Branch. At the time he also performed duties as the Commander Eastwood and Glebe/Leichhardt commands respectively.

As the head of profession in telecommunications interception, he represented the NSW Police on many national and technical committees involving State-based, Territory and National Law Enforcement and Security Agencies and the Telecommunications Carrier industry which were administered by the Cth Attorney General’s Department and later the Department of Home Affairs. It was here behind the scene where countless polices were set, laws were reformed, and the technical and investigative capability of agencies were bolstered in order to enhance their electronic evidence gathering capacity to more effectively combat serious crime.  

During his career he has been awarded several Commissioner’s citations and Commander’s commendations and recognitions for his investigative work, integrity, leadership and as head of profession. 

In 2019, he was appointed The Commander High Tech Crime Branch under the Forensic Evidence and Technical Services Command.   

Detective Superintendent Kopsias APM was formally recognised with the following awards:

  • National Medal
  • NSW Police Medal
  • 1st clasp to NSW Police Medal
  • 2nd Clasp to NSW Police Medal
  • 3rd Clasp to NSW Police Medal
  • Australian Police Medal
  • 1st Clasp to National Medal
  • National Police Service Medal 
  • 1st Clasp to National Police Service Medal 
  • 4th Clasp to NSW Police Medal
  • 2nd Clasp National Medal
  • 5th clasp NSW Police Medal 
  • 6th clasp to the NSW Police Medal
  • Two Commissioners Citation and Commendation Awards
  • Two Commanders Commendation Awards
  • Commissioners Emergency Commendation         

On 4 March 2022, 191 police trainees from class 351 marched into the NSW Police and were attested as probationary constables. On this same day, Detective Superintendent Arthur Kopsias APM marched out from the Goulburn Police Academy as a retired officer closing this chapter of his life. 

He proudly and diligently served the NSW Police Force and the community of NSW for over 43 years. His integrity, professionalism and exceptionally hard work will remain a testament of inspiration for others to follow. He will be missed by his colleagues but his legacies will always be remembered.  

His wife Tina, daughters and sons in laws De’Anna and Paul, Kristina and Hani, and relatives and friends were there to celebrate this momentous occasion. On behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, His Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis, Vicar of the Greek Archdiocese Canberra, attended the Academy to bless and praise respects and congratulations for such an important milestone to a long serving and high ranking Greek police officer.

He will now commence the next chapter in his life.

Hellenic Museum celebrates International Women’s Day with special event

The Greek Herald
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Hellenic Museum celebrates International Women’s Day with special event

The Hellenic Museum Ladies’ Society marked International Women’s Day (IWD) on Friday, March 11 at the Hellenic Museum.

The CEO & Head of Curation of the Hellenic Museum, Sarah Craig, addressed guests at the sold-out event and spoke to the Museum’s aspiration to become a leader in innovative arts and culture experiences for students.

“We look to provide education for a new age of learners whose attention is ever-diverted and to make them feel at home in the kind of institution that historically has not been inclusive…” Ms Craig said.

“We require an education offering that, yes, teaches in the traditional sense, but does not impart knowledge in a one-way, teacher-student paradigm.

“We want to encourage and facilitate two-way dialogue, where learners are in a conversation with us and our collections – we want them to question and challenge what they are being told, critically assessing the sources of the information being imparted to them. In short, we want to create experiences where young people can become thinkers.”

Two cornerstones of the Hellenic Museum’s multifaceted approach to education were available for guests to experience on the day: virtual reality and object-based handling. Both of these experiences focus on bringing history to life in a way that is tangible for learners.

The virtual reality experience provided by Hellenic Museum Education Partner, Lithodomos VR, allowed visitors to walk through the site of Ancient Delphi and experience the ancient religious site as if they were an ancient Greek.

Object-based handling allowed guests to touch ancient artefacts and as Ms Craig said on the day, “by holding history in the palm of your hand” this enriched their study of past peoples.

Overall, the Hellenic Museum focused on education during the IWD event as “it is largely through women that we maintain our connection to our history, just as it is through women that we foster the next generation, and today, it is with women that we celebrate our important institution and look forward to the work yet to be done with your contributions being central to this vision.”

Guests were able to contribute to the Hellenic Museum’s education endeavours by joining as Hellenic Museum Ladies’ Society Patron or making a different donation.

The Hellenic Museum thanked all guests and sponsors for their support of the luncheon and said it looks forward to future Hellenic Museum Ladies’ Society events.

Queries about the Hellenic Museum Ladies’ Society can be directed to the Hellenic Museum’s Development & Partnerships Manager, Maria Halkias, maria.halkias@hellenic.org.au.

Event Sponsor – Rigby Cooke Lawyers.

Education Partners – Lithodomos VR

In Kind Sponsors – Event Styling, Giannarelli International & Lusso Event Hire, Florals, Flowers Vasette, Illustrations, Natalie Rompotis, Catering & Event Management, Showtime Event Group.

Media Sponsor – The Greek Herald.

*All photos copyright: Jessie Obialor

Melbourne woman, Penny Mackieson, shares how she discovered her Greek background

The Greek Herald
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Melbourne woman, Penny Mackieson, shares how she discovered her Greek background

In an interview with The Guardian, Melbourne woman, Penny Mackieson, said she always knew she was adopted.

In 1989, she applied for her adoption records and obtained what she thought was the name of her biological mother.

Penny spent the next two decades getting to know and love the woman until gnawing doubts saw her take a DNA test which revealed they weren’t actually related.

Adoption Information Services then connected Penny with her real biological mother – an elderly Greek woman.

READ MORE: Lies, deception and secrecy: The untold story of a Greek Australian adoptee.

Penny always knew she was adopted.

On Tuesday, after a 15-minute hearing in the Victorian county court, Penny was able to correct her birth records and include her Greek mother’s name.

“It feels like this is the first day of the rest of my life. I feel much more optimistic and I feel freer – this is who I am,” Penny said after the verdict, according to The Guardian.

Penny is now set to visit Greece for the first time in July but she will not meet her biological mother as “she said she doesn’t want contact.”

READ MORE: Greek Australian searches for missing twin sisters with help from The Eftychia Project.

Source: The Guardian.

Angelo Candalepas and Associates unveil winning design for new NGV Contemporary

The Greek Herald
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Angelo Candalepas and Associates unveil winning design for new NGV Contemporary

The Victorian Government has unveiled the designs for a new gallery which has been labelled Melbourne’s answer to the Eiffel Tower.

The winning design for the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Contemporary was put forward by Angelo Candalepas and Associates, and will feature 13,000 square metres of display space and a rooftop terrace with views of the Melbourne CBD.

Lead architect, Angelo Candalepas, said the design aims to “engage in the imagination for the benefit of everyone in the world.”

“This project signals Australia as a great contemporary nation with a significant creative force,” Mr Candalepas added.

“This building will be a beacon of the culture of our time.”

Victoria’s Creative Industries Minister, Danny Pearson, said the gallery would attract one million visitors from outside the state each year after opening to the public in 2028.

The NGV Contemporary will be situated beside the existing National Gallery of Victoria building as the centrepiece of a $1.7 billion investment in the Southbank arts and culture precinct.

READ MORE: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese site in Redfern to undergo historical refurbishments.

Source: Ocula Magazine.

Barrister Sue Chrysanthou slams Federal Government’s ‘violent assault’ on defamation laws

The Greek Herald
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Barrister Sue Chrysanthou slams Federal Government’s ‘violent assault’ on defamation laws

One of Australia’s top defamation barristers, Sue Chrysanthou SC, has slammed the Federal Government’s proposed anti-trolling legislation as a ‘violent assault’ on defamation law that risked leaving victims worse off.

Speaking before a Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Ms Chrysanthou said the proposed Social Media (Anti-Trolling) Bill 2022 is “misconceived and should not proceed.”

READ MORE: Christian Porter and barrister Sue Chrysanthou ordered to pay $430,200 in legal costs.

She added that the Bill does nothing to address online abuse or trolling, and is an attempt to remove the liability held by owners of social media pages for any defamatory materials posted on those pages.

If passed, the Bill would also create the requirement for social media companies to identify people if they post potentially defamatory material.  

READ MORE: Christian Porter’s defamation barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, faces legal action.

Ms Chrysanthou said “countless experts, including professors of law expert in defamation, oppose this legislation” and she encouraged the Federal Government to listen to these experts.

“The government should listen to these experts and work with them to draft a new bill that covers the field of defamation and strikes a balance between all of the competing interests,” she said.

READ MORE: Sue Chrysanthou is one of three laywers helping Christian Porter sue the ABC for defamation.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.

Relief for Nick Haltis and other apartment owners after NSW tribunal settles dispute with developer

The Greek Herald
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Relief for Nick Haltis and other apartment owners after NSW tribunal settles dispute with developer

A 25-year contract, which was originally sold by developer Meriton and gave another company exclusive rights for property management in one of their apartment complexes, has been cancelled by a NSW tribunal.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), this contract saw apartment owners at Acacia Gardens in Ultimo locked out of the complex’s reception area and unable to access their keys, CCTV cameras or even security control systems. Security guards were also hired to prevent them from attending a critical AGM to discuss the issues.

But in a landmark ruling at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), Senior Member Graham Ellis SC ruled that the contract with Central Sydney Realty (CSR) was harsh, oppressive, unconscionable or unreasonable, and would therefore be terminated.

Acacia Gardens apartment complex in Ultimo.

Nick Eltis, an Acacia Gardens apartment owner and secretary of the strata committee, told the SMH that he hopes this verdict will set a precedent that will help other apartment dwellers in a similar position.

“It’s been a very long road to get to the end of all this,” Nick Eltis said. “It’s been very stressful.”

“We are looking forward to moving ahead and getting our lives back to normal… We hope the precedent will make it better for other buildings and help the broader community.”

The management company, CSR, is now appealing the NCAT decision. The hearing is set for June.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.

Helena Kyriazopoulos to serve on the Australian Multicultural Council

The Greek Herald
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Helena Kyriazopoulos to serve on the Australian Multicultural Council

The Australian Government has announced the 17 members who will serve on the Australian Multicultural Council (AMC) for its next three-year term.

Among the list is Helena Kyriazopoulos, who is the CEO of the Multicultural Communities Council of SA (MCCSA) and is also a former serving member on the AMC.

The AMC announcement was made public by the Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, Alex Hawke.

Mr Hawke said the new AMC membership offered both continuity and renewal, with six former serving members and 11 new members, including two youth members, appointed for the Council’s next term.

Helena Kyriazopoulos.

“The AMC brings together leaders from a diverse range of business and civil society backgrounds who will provide independent advice to Government on multicultural affairs and social cohesion policy and programs,” Minister Hawke said.

“I look forward to working with the new and returning members of the Council to build on Australia’s strong social cohesion, by strengthening the Government’s engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities and encouraging harmonious relations across the whole of Australian society.”

The Australian Multicultural Council members for the 2022-2025 term are:

Who is Helena Kyriazopoulos?

Helena Kyriazopoulos is the CEO of the Multicultural Communities Council of SA (MCCSA), an affiliate of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia (FECCA). She has a Degree in Business, Industrial Law.

Ms Kyriazopoulos has contributed towards journal articles and published works in the areas of CALD carer and ageing needs, and disability rights.

She previously worked for Alzheimer’s Australia for over 22 years as the Access and Equity Unit Coordinator and the Secretariat for Alzheimer’s Australia – National Cross Cultural Dementia Network. 

Ms Kyriazopoulos has over 30 years’ experience in the multicultural sector, and has held numerous past Board positions. She currently sits on the following Boards: Council of the Ageing, Aged Rights Advocacy Service, and Mental Health Foundation Australia. 

Ms Kyriazopoulos has been a member of the Australian Multicultural Council since 2014.

US State Department praises Greek handling of Ukraine crisis

The Greek Herald
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US State Department praises Greek handling of Ukraine crisis

The US Department of State praised Greece on Tuesday for its fast and effective reflexes during the Ukrainian crisis, Ekathimerini reports.

“The important aid, delivered within hours from President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s appeal, once again proves Greece’s solidarity with Ukraine,” a spokesperson for the US State Department said.

The spokesperson went on to highlight Greece’s role as “an important strategic ally of the United States, that is actively promoting security, stability and democracy not only in Europe, but in a several areas that are important to the United States.”

“As a result, Greece has an important role in defending NATO’s southeastern flank,” the statement concluded.

Source: Ekathimerini.

Operation to evacuate Greek Consul General from Ukrainian city of Mariupol underway

The Greek Herald
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Operation to evacuate Greek Consul General from Ukrainian city of Mariupol underway

Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, confirmed on Tuesday there is an operation underway to evacuate the Greek Consul General in Mariupol, Manolis Androulakis, along with local OSCE staff and their families.

The operation is being undertaken in close cooperation with the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe.

In a tweet, Dendias said the evacuation convoy is already heading westwards towards Zaporizhia.

READ MORE: Russian shelling damages Consulate of Greece in Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

“I hope he will be able to return safely to our homeland,” Dendias said whilst thanking the Consul for his efforts to protect Greek expatriates in the Ukrainian port city.

This news comes as the Greek Red Cross announced it has sent a second large delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The delivery includes three trucks loaded with 40 tons of humanitarian aid, as well as a mobile Red Cross Health Unit complete with nurses and a rescue vehicle manned by volunteer rescue workers.

READ MORE: ‘Terrified of the war’: Expatriates, refugees reach Greece after escaping Ukraine.

‘Torn Apart by War’: Vic Alhadeff’s play uncovers the unexpected love story of his Greek Jewish father

Andriana Simos
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‘Torn Apart by War’: Vic Alhadeff’s play uncovers the unexpected love story of his Greek Jewish father

Non-Executive Director of SBS and former CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBOD), Vic Alhadeff, has always been extremely proud of his Greek roots.

Speaking with The Greek Herald back in May 2021, Mr Alhadeff explained how not only was the Alhadeff family ‘one of the largest Jewish families on the Greek island of Rhodes,’ but both of his parents were also born there.

This all changed in 1938 – a year before World War II erupted.

Anti-Semitic decrees were passed in many parts of Europe banishing Jews from civil society. There were approximately 4,000 Jews living on Rhodes at the time and approximately half of them left for places such as the United States and South Africa.

Mr Alhadeff’s father, Salvatore, left Rhodes and went to Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia, with the aim of bringing out his parents, his teenage sisters aged 14 and 16, and his fiancé Becky.

The Square of the Jewish Martyrs on Rhodes Island, where the Jewish residents were assembled before being deported to Auschwitz.

READ MORE: NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO, Vic Alhadeff, on his passion for Greek causes.

“But then WWII erupted and he wasn’t able to bring them out. In 1943, German forces arrived on the island and in 1944 they sent the Jews who were still on Rhodes island to Auschwitz. That included my father’s parents, sisters and his fiancé,” Mr Alhadeff tells The Greek Herald.

“His parents were murdered at Auschwitz, his sisters both survived and what happened to Becky? He was told that she had been killed and she was told he had been killed.”

Approximately 40 years later, Salvatore was on holiday in Cape Town, South Africa, when he overheard his fiancé’s name in a restaurant.

Doing justice to his father’s story:

Whilst we won’t spoil what happens next, this true story of turmoil and upheaval is the main focus of Mr Alhadeff’s new play Torn Apart by War.

Mr Alhadeff wants to do justice to his father’s story.

The play is the first act of a larger production titled, Letters From a Troubled Past, which will be performed at the ARA Darling Quarter Theatre in Sydney on March 17 -19 and at the Randwick Ritz in Sydney on April 3.

Ahead of its opening night, Mr Alhadeff admits he never even considered turning his father’s life into a play until he was encouraged by Sydney theatre producer, Moira Blumenthal.

Since then, Mr Alhadeff has spent the last two years writing the play and trying his best ‘to do justice’ to a father he loved but rarely saw. His parents divorced when he was a child and he was sent to boarding school in Zimbabwe whilst his dad relocated to Zaire.

“It’s been an intense journey because my father’s story was a story of turmoil, of upheaval in his life and then one also thinks about what could have happened if he had married the person he was engaged to. Everything would have been different,” Mr Alhadeff explains.

Salvatore and his fiance Becky.

“Also… I’ve never written a play before and so inserting myself into my father’s story has been a pretty emotional experience and a very challenging one.”

Despite these challenges, Mr Alhadeff hopes his play will not only honour his father, but also the countless other Jewish stories of tragedy and loss from WWII.

“On a deeper level, I really want to raise awareness of the Holocaust and specifically, awareness of the Holocaust in Greece because it is not widely known,” he concludes.

A worthy cause which we look forward to learning more about at the launch of ‘Torn Apart by War’ on March 17 at the ARA Darling Quarter Theatre in Sydney. Bookings: moirablumentalproductions.com.au and jiff.com.au.

READ MORE: Hundreds from Sydney’s Greek community gather to commemorate the Greek Pontian genocide.

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