Melinda Dimitriades was raised in Earlwood to Greek-born migrants and has continued to work and live in the Inner West over much of the past two decades. That’s why she’s decided to run as an Independent in the Inner West Council elections on Saturday, December 4.
Melinda is a passionate advocate for older people and wants to be part of creating relationships and community activities that engage all generations and cultural backgrounds.
She is also interested in all levels of government, leading the charge to create good policies and work with business to address climate change, environmental impacts and smart building design. She believes that everyone should have access to green space and sky, and that you can’t just buy your way into everything.
Melinda Dimitriades.
With just days to go before the local government elections in NSW, we sat down with Melinda to hear all about her career plan and aspirations.
1. Why have you decided to get into politics?
Whilst I recently graduated as a Political Scientist at Sydney University, I never thought I would become a politician. But I was approached by one of Vic’s supporters and asked to consider running with him. After meeting him and learning about the dysfunction, over-spending and neglect of the migrants who have called Marrickville home for decades but are severely neglected, I thought I could contribute in a meaningful way and advocate for these communities.
I also think I can provide more transparency and efficient governance without partisan politics; you’d be amazed how politicised the Inner West Council is.
Dimitriades wants to provide ‘more transparency’ if elected to the Inner West Council.
2. How does your Greek heritage influence your work?
Well, I grew up in Earlwood but spent every other weekend with my mum and brothers George and Alex shopping at the Greek wholesalers. I went to pre-school at Crusader in Malakoff St and even got my ears pierced on Illawarra Rd. The very reason why Marrickville is so vibrant, diverse and textured is because of the Greeks.
3.What are your plans if you are elected this year?
Vic is a seasoned councillor and I will be guided by him. However, as a strong Greek woman, small business owner and progressive in my politics, I will apply my skills, knowledge and frugality to various projects including providing green space, good development that provides appropriate housing, as well as business and public utilities without whacking rate payers and going over budget. We simply don’t have the incomes of State or Federal governments.
Dimitriades with her running mates.
4.What message do you have for our readers and the Greek Australian community more broadly?
If you want to see politicians who reflect back to you your ethnicity, community mindedness and Greek/Italian smarts with pragmatic solutions and without the ideological constraints of Labor or The Greens, vote for Independents.
5. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I encourage people to start conversations and think about what a partisan council has actually achieved. Let’s break the stranglehold and get some mediation by voting independent thinking representatives.
It’s been a busy few days in Federal politics with the announcement of one resignation, one retirement and one minister stepping aside amid abuse allegations.
Christian Porter:
Former Attorney-General Christian Porter announced his resignation on Facebook on Wednesday, saying he was quitting to spend more time with his family.
“After a long time giving everything I could to the people of Peace, it’s now time to give more of what is left to those around me whose love has been unconditional,” Mr Porter, who moved to the backbench in September, said.
“…even though I have experienced perhaps more of the harshness of modern politics than most, there are no regrets.”
Christian Porter strenuously denied a historical rape allegation at an emotional press conference in March. Photo: ABC News / Hugh Sando.
Mr Porter became embroiled in controversy earlier this year after the ABC reported an unnamed cabinet minister had been accused of raping a woman in 1988.
Mr Porter identified himself as the unnamed cabinet minister and strenuously denied the allegation in a tearful press conference.
The West Australian MP stepped aside from his portfolio while he pursued defamation action against the ABC, which he ultimately discontinued.
Greg Hunt:
Federal Health and Aged Care Minister, Greg Hunt, has also announced today he will retire at the next election and not recontest his seat in Victoria.
Mr Hunt said “it was time to come home” and he was retiring to spend more time with his family.
Greg Hunt has announced his retirement.
He said in leaving politics, he wanted a woman to replace him as the Liberal candidate in his coastal Victorian seat.
Before becoming Health Minister in 2017, Mr Hunt served as industry, innovation and science minister and before that the environment minister.
Mr Hunt’s retirement comes nearly two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw him play a key role in the government’s evolving response to an unprecedented and rapidly changing situation.
Alan Tudge:
Education Minister Alan Tudge will stand aside pending an independent review run by the Prime Minister’s department into allegations made by former staffer Rachelle Miller about their relationship.
Ms Miller, a former media adviser to Mr Tudge, today alleged the affair they had was emotionally and, on one occasion, physically abusive.
Alan Tudge. Photo: ABC News / Mark Moore.
Mr Tudge denied the allegations, saying he “completely and utterly rejects Ms Miller’s version of events,” and that he regretted the affair.
Addressing Question Time today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the allegations as “deeply concerning” and “deeply distressing.”
“Given the seriousness of the claims made by Ms Miller, it’s important these matters be resolved fairly and expeditiously,” Mr Morrison said.
“To this end, the minister has agreed to my request to stand aside while these issues are addressed by my department, through an independent and fair process, to ensure that the matters that have been raised can be properly assessed.”
Mr Morrison said Mr Tudge welcomed the process and was looking forward to participating in the review.
Hoping to put behind the outgoing year which negatively affected much of its activities, the Hellenic Society of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) elected its new Committee for 2022 which sees a boost of six newcomers.
The Annual General Meeting of the Society took place on Thursday, November 25 and it was conducted electronically through Zoom.
UTS Hellenic’s new President, Dimitri Kallos, expressed his excitement for what next year could offer university students.
“University societies have been riddled with issues due to COVID-19 for pretty much the last two years,” Mr Kallos said.
“We are hopeful that next year will see a rebirth for our societies, including a plethora of face-to-face events, as well as general in-person interactions.
“Our team consists of four experienced members that served in the previous Committee and six newcomers who have already impressed us with their enthusiasm.
“I am very proud of my fellow Committee members and I am looking forward to us developing a calendar of events next year which will focus on entertainment but more importantly, on Greek language and culture which will allow us to highlight our proud Hellenic heritage.”
All office holders and Committee members were elected unopposed.
The full Committee is:
President – Dimitri Kallos
Vice President – Yanni Marathocabitis
Treasurer – Constance Botsikas
Secretary – Antonia Moulos
Events/ Social Media Officer – Karly Vouros
Cultural Officer – Katerina Andrews
General Committee: Nadine Zeritis, Peter Litsas, Despina Tsolakis, Ellen Kalantzis
Jill Taylor (Nikitakis), Fronditha Care President and Board Chair, addressed over 50 members who attended the Annual General Meeting on Monday, 29 November 2021.
The President provided a comprehensive report reflecting on the 2020-2021 financial period, highlighting the achievements of Fronditha Care throughout the past year whilst noting the significant challenges.
“Fronditha Care has shown incredible resilience over this period, and the Board, Executive and entire team have demonstrated the ability to go above and beyond to ensure we are always achieving the best outcomes for our elders and community,” Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) said.
“The year has been filled with momentous transformation marked by a challenging pandemic. Yet the Board and Executive have worked through this uncertainty with enthusiasm and energy to deliver significant change in operations and secure the financial viability of the organisation.”
This organisational transformation included appointment of Faye Spiteri (Tsolakis) OAM as CEO in February 2021 and new Directors to the Board, which marked a significant change for the organisation, with a now evident return to a positive financial trajectory and long-term sustainability.
The President informed the meeting that significant improvements were in fact delivered over the last two quarters of the 2021 financial year.
Board President Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) at the Fronditha Care AGM 2021.
All driven by a concerted effort to implement change, without impacting service delivery, achievements included performing 30% better than budget; a 16% increase in income and an average 98%-100% occupancy where sector average was less than 90% and significant growth in Community Services with a twofold increase in clients.
Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) highlighted the opening of the 90-bed-facility in St Albans a great accomplishment given the $22 million capital works program was delivered ahead of time and below budget, whilst Victoria experienced the significant impact of the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns.
Turning to Fronditha Care’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said the organisation had been proactive and vigilant. Fronditha Care had undergone numerous successful audits across all its facilities with the Aged Care and Quality Commission highly complementary of our COVID-19 preparedness and infection control practices.
The President spoke about Fronditha Care being an early adopter of the COVID-19 vaccination program with the organisation reaching enviable vaccination rates of its residents, staff and the broader Fronditha Care community with over 3,000 vaccines administered across its five facilities and its Mulgrave Community Centre.
Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) advised members that the recently reported outbreak at its St Albans facility, was considered fully resolved with advice from the public health unit as of Friday, 26 November 2021.
She thanked the Executive, management and the DHS Public Health Unit and Western Health Outreach Team for their dedication and hard work in managing the outbreak. She noted that DHS were highly complementary of Fronditha Care’s response and that despite the rapid spread, the cycle was resolved by the Organisation within a very short period of time.
Whilst most residents and staff who tested positive remained asymptomatic, sadly, three residents, two unvaccinated and one with serious underlying health issues, passed away. The meeting heard that life at the facility had returned to normal for residents and family visitation has recommenced with proactive risk mitigation measures in place.
Focusing on the future, Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) informed the meeting that the Board and Executive is preparing to deliver an extensive strategic growth program and working on a number of significant partnerships, leading the way in the provision of aged care services for the Greek community.
She noted: “The organisational vision, purpose, values and Bounty of Care philosophy continue to steer us in the right direction. I am delighted to have led, with the CEO, the development of a 10 -year strategy with three and five year implementation plans that is underpinned by four inter-connected pillars: exceptional client services, sustainable growth, an engaged and competent workforce, and a high performing organisation. We very much look forward to sharing with you our plans in 2022 for expanding our service offer and provision of an integrated customer experience.”
Board President Jill Taylor (Nikitakis).
Mr Kostas Livadaras, Treasurer, provided a detailed financial report for members describing the factors which had led to financial turnaround and emphasising the measures in place to ensure Fronditha Care continues to perform well financially and deliver its services efficiently without diminishing the quality of care.
Members congratulated the Board, CEO and Executive team for their hard work and the significant positive turnaround applauding the impressive results delivered in such a short period, noting they looked forward to the continued success and organisational progress.
In her closing remarks, the President expressed her deep gratitude to the community and noted her deep appreciation of fellow Directors who selflessly dedicate their time.
She said: “It’s a great privilege to lead the Fronditha Care Board and support the work of our CEO, Faye Spiteri OAM, her Executive and the broader team.
‘I am exceptionally proud to work with a group of people who are so dedicated to our purpose and mission. I wholeheartedly thank the extended Fronditha Care community, our people, our clients and their families, our auxiliaries, our volunteers, our partners and all our stakeholders for supporting us.”
The meeting unanimously endorsed four candidates who nominated for election to the Board of Directors. The 2022 Fronditha Care Board members are:
• President – Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) • Vice- President- Nicholas Giasoumi • Secretary- John Kallitsas • Treasurer- Kostas Livadaras • Director – Dr Stella Laletas • Director – Alex Krassas
You can view the Fronditha Care Annual Report 2020-2021 here.
“I want to come back home and fill out a stadium,” Kambosos said after his match. “All those belts, 80,000 people, in Sydney or Melbourne. That’s the next step now.”
In response, the NSW Minister for Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, told the SMH it would be “awesome” if Kambosos could stage a fight in Sydney.
— George "Ferocious" Kambosos Jr (@georgekambosos) November 29, 2021
“We’d be quite open to it,” Minister Ayres said.
“To have a unified world champion defending his belts here in Sydney seems like a pretty awesome experience.”
Melbourne is the biggest competitor for the right to host Kambosos’ next fight. Kambosos is proud of his Greek background and the city also has a large number of people of Greek heritage.
ArtNet has today reported that Italy will return a piece of the Parthenon Frieze to Greece, after it was on loan as part of a cultural exchange.
Journalists were told of the deal at a November 30 meeting of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports’ Central Archaeological Council.
According to a statement from the Ministry, the fragment from stone VI on the eastern frieze of the Parthenon, can currently be seen at the Museo Archeologico Antonio Salinas in Palermo, Sicily.
Greek Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, has welcomed the news.
Under conditions dictated by Italian law, the piece will travel back to Greece on a four-year loan from December 2021, with the possibility of extension for another four years after that.
“This fragment is permanently exhibited in the Museum of Palermo and is the first time that its long-term borrowing in Greece is agreed,” the Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, said.
“This is a process that started a year ago, involving a series of negotiations between the Greek and Italian sides. This development may pave the way for the final return of the fragment to its place of birth…”
— Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Αθλητισμού (@cultureGR) December 1, 2021
In return for the loan, the Acropolis Museum will send the Palermo institution a headless statue of the goddess Athena.
After four years, this will be replaced by a protogeometric vase to match the period of time the Parthenon fragment will be on loan in Greece.
A similar deal was offered by Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in November as a means to facilitate the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum. Johnson rejected the demands of his Greek counterpart.
Greece has seen a surge in vaccine take-up just one day after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced people over 60 would be fined 100 euros monthly if they refused to get a COVID-19 shot.
On Twitter, Mitsotakis said that prior to implementing the vaccine mandate, the daily rate of new vaccination appointments for those over 60 was roughly 2,000. After the announcement, “almost 20,000 appointments have been made.”
Πριν ανακοινώσουμε το μέτρο του αναγκαίου εμβολιασμού ο ημερήσιος ρυθμός των νέων ραντεβού για τις ηλικίες άνω των 60 ήταν περίπου 2.000. Από τότε που ανακοινώσαμε το μέτρο, έχουν κλειστεί σχεδόν 20.000 ραντεβού. Δηλαδή κλείστηκαν σχεδόν 10 φορές περισσότερα. pic.twitter.com/x7gPsDNkYk
“That is, appointments are up almost 10 times,” he wrote.
Before the new measure was set out by the government, only 60,000 of the 580,000 unvaccinated Greeks over 60 had received the vaccine in November. Greece’s vaccination ratio in this group is around 83 percent compared to Portugal’s 98 percent.
Mitsotakis said he struggled with the decision to implement the vaccine mandate, but added it was necessary to protect the more than half a million elderly Greeks who had failed to get the jab.
Σήμερα 9 στους 10 Έλληνες που πεθαίνουν είναι άνω των 60 ετών, 7 στους 10 διασωληνωμένους στις ΜΕΘ ανήκουν στην ίδια κατηγορία και παραπάνω από 8 στους 10 δεν έχουν εμβολιαστεί. Πρόκειται, λοιπόν, για εκείνους που κινδυνεύουν περισσότερο.
Greece this month barred unvaccinated people from indoor spaces including restaurants, cinemas, museums, and gyms as daily COVID-19 cases hit record highs.
The country recorded 6,196 new COVID-19 cases and 75 deaths today.
The Hellenic Police’s Internal Affairs Division rounded up 34 police officers on Tuesday as part of a long investigation into an illegal citizenship racket, Ekathimerini reported.
Twenty people have been arrested, including nine active police officers, a Citizens’ Protection Ministry employee, a registry officer, a lawyer and eight civilians.
The racket had been active since at least April 26, 2013. It consisted mainly of ethnic Greeks from the former USSR, police and other civil servants.
The ongoing inquiry found the racket provided foreign nationals, most of whom had criminal records, with forged passports and IDs, with prices starting from 30,000 euros.
The European Union must consider mandatory vaccination in response to the spread of the “highly contagious” Omicron COVID variant across Europe, the European Commission president has said.
According to The Guardian, Ursula von der Leyen said vaccines would be crucial in the fight against Omicron and the EU’s 27 member states should rapidly deploy booster doses.
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen.
“One-third of the European population is not vaccinated… not each and every one can be vaccinated – children, for example, or people with special medical conditions – but the vast majority could,” Von der Leyen, who practised as a doctor before her political career, said.
“How we can encourage and potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the European Union, this needs discussion. This needs a common approach, but it is a discussion that I think has to be met.”
About 1 billion doses have been delivered in the EU.
Over 360 million doses of mRNA vaccines will be delivered by the end of the first quarter 2022.
This is sufficient for all fully vaccinated Europeans to get a booster.
There is already growing momentum behind mandatory vaccination among the EU member states.
Austria has announced compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations from February next year, while Greece is fining all unvaccinated over-60s €100 (AU$159.07) a month.
So far, there have been a total of 59 identified cases in the EU of the Omicron variant, all of which have involved mild symptoms or been asymptomatic.
Ox King is a Sydney-based, Manchester-born artist who has painted over 5,000 murals across Sydney.
His latest is called ‘Hestia’ and was commissioned by the Inner West Council to honour Marrickville’s Greek history and community.
Ox King spoke exclusively with The Greek Herald about the mural.
Q. When did you move to Sydney? How did you get into street art?
“I was born in Manchester, and I immigrated here when I was about 11 (in 1997) and grew up here. I moved to Marrickville when I was around 20. In my mid-20’s I lived in Marrickville for about four years. I’m in Wolli Creek now.”
“I studied [at the Sydney College of Arts] straight out of high school. I ended up studying film and animation. I studied that for about four years and got a Bachelor with Honours in Film and Animation but then immediately abandoned that once I finished. I started picking up illustration and painting walls with friends and became self-taught over the last 10 years.”
“[Street art] is just so immediate.”
“I always wanted to present my work for everybody to enjoy.”
Q. ‘Hestia’ was commissioned by the Inner West Council. How did they reach out?
“I’ve worked with the Inner West Council for quite a long time now. Four or five years. I first worked with them when they commissioned the mural in the Newtown IGA carpark. [The council] runs a program called Perfect Match and people in the Inner West who have a wall, who have a property, who are interested in getting a mural submit, and then artists submit to paint murals, and then the Council funds everything and matches artists with locations that they think will work the best.”
“It’s a really great experience because they place creative freedom first and, as such, I don’t really work to a solid brief. That creates the best work.”
“For [‘Hestia’] specifically, it was a rough brief for doing something for the Greek community but beyond meeting with the people and talking with them, my interpretation of that story was fairly free, which I thought was really successful.”
Q. Where did you draw your inspiration for ‘Hestia’?
“I met with the council and the building owners … After that, I set up a meeting with representatives from the Greek community in the area. We all sat in a cafe near the mural and they all talked to me about stories, what Marrickville means to them, what it was like growing up, different icons, which I took notes on.
“I landed on a blend of art nouveau and Greek pottery. So, trying to blend the classic Greek pottery depictions with the green and gold colour scheme. Depicted all around, obviously the top ‘freedom or death’ it’s the 200 anniversary and that we’re celebrating this year of Greek independence.”
“Then to the top left is a depiction of Saint Nicholas, who is a patron saint and is the name of the church that the original immigrants built in the 1960s that is … on Illawarra Road.”
“Then to the top right is a depiction of a ship with the word Patris underneath… [which brought] a huge majority of the Australian Greek immigrant population, over about 50 years going from Athens to Melbourne back and forth, so there’s a lot of history and emotions behind that ship.”
“Below that, I’ve got the Australian gum leaves to represent the new land to represent this natural beauty and Marrickville as a new settling ground.”
“Over to the left, I’ve got depictions of a jar of oil, fish, and olive branch to represent Greek food. From what I’ve read and the stories that I’ve told, the real reason why Marrickville has become such a center is because of Greek delis and Greek food.”
“Under that is the word ‘Lamia’, which is the name of a deli that’s been on Marrickville road since the ‘60s.”
“Below that is the olive branch growing words into the soil to represent the next generation of Greek children that were born here in Marrickville that are growing their roots in the Australian soil.”
“Surrounding Hestia is the word ‘Filotimo’, which … [is] such a powerful, all-encompassing word that … represents family and honour and taking someone into your home and showing respect without asking for anything back, which I think is a really beautiful sentiment.”
(Images: Supplied)
Q. How long did it take to make ‘Hestia’?
“[‘Hestia’] took about three weeks. I’d prefer heat to rain; rain or wind is really terrible. … Overall, I’d say probably about two weeks, 10 days to paint the whole thing.”
Q. What has the response been from the community?
“It’s all been really overwhelmingly positive. I think because it is so closely tied to personal history, this is probably one of my most researched pieces ever. I’ve just been getting a lot of really positive feedback when I was painting it and then when I’ve been posting online.”
“I got some really beautiful comments. I got a comment from a lady that said her entire family came over on the Patris and she showed a picture of the mural to her mother, and it made her cry, which I thought was really touching.”
Q. What is the proudest moment of your career?
“[‘Hestia’] is definitely up there. Hestia is definitely one of my favourite pieces. The level of research and community involvement is really rewarding on this one. This is definitely one of my favourites.”
