Controversial building industry figure George Alex has been arrested in a pre-dawn raid at his Surfers Paradise home.
The 49-year-old has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police in relation to allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.
George Alex was arrested on the Gold Coast. Photo: SMH NEWS.
A spokesman for the AFP confirmed it was executing search warrants as part of an ongoing organised crime investigation.
“There is no ongoing threat to community safety as a result of this activity. Further updates will be provided at an appropriate time,” he said.
Police have also raided properties in Moorebank and elsewhere in Sydney and the state.
Mr Alex, 49, has been an undischarged bankrupt since 2011. Despite this, evidence was given at the royal commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption in 2015 that Alex controlled a number of labour hire companies which were paying money to the CFMEU for favourable construction deals.
Because of his bankruptcy Mr Alex couldn’t be a director, instead he ran a series of labour hire companies through fronts. As each failed, it left insufficient assets to pay the creditors of the failed company, including the Australian Tax Office the royal commission heard.
Poet and novelist, Costas Karyotakis, emerged in the generation of the 1920’s and is one of the first to introduce elements of modernism in Greek poetry. His work also influenced many of the later poets including Seferis, Ritsos and Vrettakos.
Early Life:
Karyotakis was born in Tripoli on October 30, 1896 and was the son of law engineer Georgios Karyotakis from Sykia, Corinth and Katigos Skagiannis from Tripoli. He was the second child of the family. He had a sister one year his senior, Nitsa, and a younger brother, Thanos, who was born in 1899 and worked as a bank clerk.
Due to his father’s job, his family had to move frequently. They lived in Lefkada, Patras, Larissa, Kalamata, Argostoli, Athens (1909-1911) and Chania, where they stayed until 1913.
The Karyotakis family.
His writing skills started to appear from an early age. At 16-years-old, Karyotakis published poems in children’s magazines and participated in literary contests, such as the short story contest of the children’s magazine “Edification of Children.”
In 1917, he graduated from Law School of the University of Athens with honors. At first he tried to practice law, but the lack of clientele pushed him to seek a civil servant position.
He was appointed to the Prefecture of Thessaloniki. After his final discharge from the Greek Army for health reasons, he was placed in various public services, including the prefectures of Syros, Arta and Athens. He enjoyed none.
Poetry:
Some of Karyotakis’ poems.
His first poetry collection, “The Pain of People and Things,” was published in February 1919 and did not receive very positive reviews. In the same year, he published the satirical magazine “I Gamba,” but its circulation was banned after six issues. His second collection, entitled “Nipenthi,” was published in 1921.
In 1927, he published his last poetry collection “Elegy and Satyres.”
The poetry has no trace of philology, sentimentality and coquettishness which exists in abundance in the older poets. It exudes the feeling of futility, of being lost, its attitude is anti-heroic. Karyotakis wrote poems about the ignorant, the insignificant, even the ridiculous, as a protest which reaches sarcasm.
In addition to his poetic work, Karyotakis also wrote translations of foreign scholars such as Francois Villon, Charle Baptiel, Paul Verlaine, Tristan Corbier, Zan Morea and Heinrich Heine.
Poet and novelist, Costas Karyotakis, is one of the first to introduce elements of modernism in Greek poetry.
Death:
In February 1928, Karyotakis was seconded to Patras and a little later to Preveza. His correspondence with relatives during this period highlights his despair about provincial life and the small size of the local community.
On July 20, he went to Monolithi and tried for ten hours to commit suicide, trying in vain to drown. The next day on July 21, he bought a revolver and visited a cafe in Preveza. After spending a few hours alone smoking, he went to a nearby beach, Agios Spyridon, and ended his life under an eucalyptus tree.
Police found a note in his pocket explaining the reasons for his suicide (edited version): “… I am ready for an honorable death. I feel sorry for my unhappy parents, I feel sorry for my siblings. But I leave with my forehead up. I was sick.”
Cypriots woke up on Monday to the sound of sirens to mark 46 years since Turkish troops invaded and occupied Cyprus’ north.
This was followed by a memorial service in Nicosia for Army officers and soldiers killed during the invasion, in the presence of the acting President of the Republic Demetris Syllouris and Greek National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos.
At the same time in Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was marking the occasion with a stern warning to Turkey.
A memorial service was held in Nicosia on Monday for Army officers and soldiers killed during the invasion. Source: Twitter.
“46 years after the Turkish invasion, the wound of Cyprus still bleeds. Unfortunately, the sky of the entire region is being filled by more and more clouds of provocations by the same culprit,” Mitsotakis said in a statement.
“The anniversary of shame, instead of provoking a redemptive self-criticism in Turkey, finds it slipping further from legitimacy, Europe and the values of the 21st century.
“In the face of these events, Hellenism reacts with maturity and determination, with faith in justice and the resumption of a dialogue that will bring a lasting solution to the island.”
Acting President of the Republic Demetris Syllouris and Greek National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos marked the anniversary. Source: Twitter.
Along a similar strain, Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou also deplored the Turkish invasion, saying Greek people will never forget the atrocity.
“Forty-six years have passed since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, and the pain remains undiminished. We do not forget the autrocity of the Turkish invasion,” the Greek President stated.
“[We] seek a solution that will finally free Cyprus from the Turkish occupation troops and will abolish the, according to common international belief, unsustainable system of guarantees and the right of third parties to intervene in the affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.”
Slain Melbourne woman Courtney (Konstandina) Herron, 25, would still be alive today if her killer had not won a legal appeal to walk free from jail weeks earlier, despite him being convicted of pulling a knife on his former girlfriend and trying to choke her.
This violent criminal past of Henry Hammond, the man responsible for the brutal bashing of Courtney at Royal Park in May last year, was revealed in an exclusive report on A Current Affair last night.
In what Courtney’s family have described as a double blow, Hammond won’t be jailed for killing the aspiring social worker but instead be sent to a psychiatric facility, following a decision by prosecutors to consent to a “not guilty” plea on the basis of mental impairment.
Courtney’s father John Herron has slammed the court’s decision. Photo: A Current Affair.
“My daughter would be alive now if he (Hammond) wasn’t released. It’s had a devastating impact on her family, particularly her siblings who are struggling to get through this,” Courtney’s father, John Herron, said on the program last night, adding that the justice system had failed.
“We couldn’t have an open casket funeral. Her head had to be reconstructed, such was the brutal nature of the crime.”
Court records reveal Hammond was sentenced to 10 months’ jail in December 2018 for his sickening attack on a former partner, which happened while he was out on bail for resisting police.
Just over three months later he was jailed by a magistrate, who said Hammond posed a danger to the public. The now-killer appealed to a higher court, arguing the sentence was “manifestly excessive.”
Today John Herron found out the monster who killed his daughter can't be found guilty.He won’t be convicted, and he won’t even spend another night in prison for what he did to Courtney. #9ACA
A county court judge agreed, shaving months off the now-27-year-old’s sentence and placing him on a 12-month Community Corrections Order instead.
Three weeks later, Courtney was dead. That’s despite a judge admitting the community corrections program was at odds with the killer’s free-spirited “nomadic” lifestyle, where he did not have a home base. He agreed Hammond had an “inability to control his impulse.”
Mr Herron, who is a lawyer, said he was “astounded” by the circumstances of Hammond’s early release on appeal.
“The fact he was released from prison, early, on appeal (and) went straight onto the street, consumed ice and killed my daughter, there seemed to be some deliberate intent,” he said.
“Police said he was lucid in his interview, knew what he was doing, but no psychiatric assessments say he didn’t know what he was doing.”
Courtney was buried beside her pappou. This year, her mother Maxie Antoniou held a vigil there.
Mr Herron also took aim at today’s decision by the Office of Public Prosecutions to consent to Hammond’s claim of mental impairment, meaning he can’t be found guilty and will never be convicted. Instead Hammond will be sent to a psychiatric facility, where he could be released after several years.
“He could have days trips. Be out in 10 years (on) unsupervised day trips,” Mr Herron said.
“Courtney was a really intelligent, vibrant girl. She could have put her mind to anything. She doesn’t have a voice anymore and to really have this conclude in this way, where it’s a not guilty outcome for a killer who’s provided a confession, it’s very devastating to us.”
Hammond will return to the Supreme Court for a Consent Mental Impairment Hearing on August 17.
With one win in ten games, it’s safe to say that the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have had a rough start to the season. As a result of the unsatisfactory start, the club recently announced the resignation of former head coach Dean Pay.
Yet, where one man steps down, another rises to the platform. Steve Georgallis, formerly the team’s assistant coach, assumed the role as interim head coach following the resignation of Pay.
Speaking exclusively with The Greek Herald, Georgallis
shares his plans to bring the team back to winning form.
“It’s obviously been very hard with the injuries that we’ve
had with senior players, but our discussions this week revolve around simplifying
what we’re doing and going back to basics,” Georgallis says.
“Not putting the pressure upon us to score points but using those basics to try and get us back where we need to be.”
Steve Georgallis is currently the interim head coach of the Bulldogs. Photo: AAP
Guiding the Canterbury reserve grade side to the Intrust
Super Premiership NSW and the NRL State Championship, the Greek
Australian coach certainly has a history in bringing trophies home to Belmore.
While currently standing in an interim position, Georgallis looks
to prove he is the man for the NRL coaching job.
“Those jobs are far in between and if you have the
opportunity to coach for an Australian Rugby League team, regardless of what’s
happened before you, you take it with both hands,” Georgallis says.
Belmore born and raised
Steve Georgallis was brought up in the Canterbury area his entire life. Despite not playing professionally for the Belmore side, Georgallis played rugby league as a Canterbury junior, later spending majority of his junior career at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Prior to his NRL career, the junior player looked up highly
to former Greek hooker George Peponis, who spent his entire career with the Bulldogs,
earning them a Premiership in 1980.
“Growing up he was a very influential person playing the
game. A player, I suppose, a lot of Australians with Greek heritage grew up with
and knew quite well.
Georgallis spent majority of his youth career playing for St George Dragons. Photo: Supplied
Georgallis at Eastern Suburbs Roosters. Photo: Supplied
“So he kind of paved the way for players like us with Greek heritage who wanted to play the game.”
Georgallis went on to play for multiple clubs, spending
majority of his professional career with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and
Western Suburbs Magpies.
Following his success in the NRL, he studied at ACP college and became a teacher, remaining close to his home town working at Kingsgrove High School.
While working as a teacher, the former NRL player enjoyed a stint at Penrith Panthers as interim coach in 2011. He also coached the Greece national rugby league team, leading them to a record 90-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest on 27 October 2013.
“You don’t really think about coaching when you’re playing, but as you get older and towards the end of your career you kind of dip your toe in it.”
Georgallis joined the Bulldogs coaching staff in 2017. Photo: NRL
Georgallis continued working as a teacher up until 3 years
ago, when he joined the Bulldogs coaching staff as NSW Cup Head Coach.
“I was brought up in the area…. and my mum and dad still
live in the area, so I suppose when the opportunity arose to go back there as a
coach, I already knew the area quite well.”
Georgallis was appointed as an Assistant to Dean Pay for the 2018 NRL Season, however joined on a full-time basis in 2019 following his success with the reserve grade side.
Greeks finding success in
the NRL
The NRL has produced many great talents of Greek Australian heritage, including Dally-M recipients and premiership winners. A player of proud Greek Australian heritage, Steve Georgallis says he’s honoured to coach a club with such a strong Greek fanbase, including his father.
“My father was born on a little island called Tilos near Rhodes
in the Dodecanese islands, and he came here when he was about 18 after the
second world war,” Georgallis says.
“He’s still living in Belmore, just up the road, and he loves
his footy. Unfortunately though, he hasn’t been able to go out and watch any of
the games because of the COVID-19.”
Georgallis played for and coach the Greek national rugby league team. Photo: Supplied
While many senior Greek NRL players are all but retired, the Greek coach says there are plenty of young guns ready to become future stars.
“You’ve got Billy Magoulias, who’s at the Sharks at the moment,
and there’s a lot of young kids coming through,” Georgallis says excitedly.
“At South Sydney, there’s Peter Mamouzelos and Nick
Mougios. There’s a young five-eighth Lachlan Ilias. They all came through
the Souths under-20s team that won the title last year.”
With the Canterbury Bulldogs board still undecided who will fill
Dean Pay’s shoes, Georgallis is looking to prove he has what it takes to coach
the side to victory.
A Japanese comic book chain has pulled hundreds of titles from its Sydney store after South Australian politician, Connie Bonaros, raised alarm that they could be used by paedophiles to groom victims.
SA Best MP Connie Bonaros wrote to the Kinokuniya company, raising concerns it was selling a range of titles that showed sexually explicit drawn images of young girls that carried connotations of incest and rape involving minors.
Ms Bonaros warned the material “can only be described as ‘kiddie-porn’ manga,” and continues to be available in other Adelaide stores and to local residents online.
She has also contacted local retailers urging them to follow suit and pull the material.
South Australian politician, Connie Bonaros, raised alarm the comics could be used by paedophiles to groom victims.
In a letter to Ms Bonaros, Kinokuniya vice-president Keijro Mori wrote that her complaint led the company to re-examine the titles it carried in Australia.
“Staff have been provided with updated special-order guidelines to ensure that these titles are no longer available to order into the store,” Mr Mori wrote.
Seven particular comic series were pulled, equating to several hundred individual titles.
The company said it would seek to comply with rules in other countries where it operates and “respect local law and culture, and make ordering decisions respectively and accordingly.”
Amazon also recently delisted several of the same manga series from its Kindle platform, though the company did not specify why.
A Japanese comic book chain, Kinokuniya, has pulled hundreds of titles from its Sydney store.
Ms Bonaros said child-abuse experts had warned that the type of material which has now been removed could be used by paedophiles to groom victims.
Of particular concern to Ms Bonaros was depictions of girls in school uniform in explicit sexual activities and poses.
“I congratulate Kinokuniya on taking such strong and decisive action,” she said. “Children have a right to be protected from all forms of child exploitation.”
Ms Bonaros said classification loopholes meant dangerous material was slipping through.
She said some of the material had been reviewed and deemed legal by the Classification Board, despite falling within the meaning of child-abuse material under other laws. Other graphic titles had not even been examined, she said.
SA Best is demanding action by the Federal Government to ensure laws are properly enforced.
Alexander III, the “Basileus of Macedon,” the “Hegemon of the Hellenic League,” the “Shahanshah” of Persia, the “Pharaoh” of Egypt and the “Lord of Asia” — better known as Alexander the Great — was one of the most significant figures in human history.
According to historians, Alexander was born on July 20 or 21 in 356 B.C. and as a means of marking the occasion, we decided to take a look back at the incredible life of this important historical figure.
Early Life:
Born in Pella, the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon, in 356 B.C., he was the son of Philip II, the King of Macedon and his wife, Olympias. He became renowned at a very early age for his military and political capabilities.
As a teenager, he began to be tutored by one of Greece’s most respected men, Aristotle. The great philosopher educated him with Greek ideals and inspired him with admiration and love for the Greek spirit and culture.
Alexander the Great, marble bust, 2nd–1st century BCE.
Alexander becomes King of Macedon:
In 336 B.C., Alexander’s father Philip was assassinated by his bodyguard Pausanias. Fate dictated that even though Alexander was only 20, he would take into his hands not only the Kingdom of Macedon but also the generalship of the Hellenic League of Greece.
The military campaign:
After taking on the enormous responsibility of King, Alexander began the great march of the Hellenes to the East. Thousands of soldiers followed him.
What are now the modern-day countries of Turkey, Syria, Israel, Egypt, and the entirety of the modern-day Arab world, became Greek in less than ten years’ time. In a few short years, Alexander had conquered all the way east to the western borders of India.
Alexander the Great leading his forces against the retreating Persian army led by Darius III at the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE. Detail of a mosaic from the House of the Faun, Pompeii in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
Battle after battle, fight after fight, Alexander and his men were able not only to beat many enemies while conquering the vast Achaemenid Empire, but to establish a new status quo which would respect the local people. At the same time, the Greek overlords would introduce into their everyday life and culture elements of the Greek way of thinking and acting.
Alexander’s original plans included a conquest to the last centimeter of the East. It is recorded in history that he stated his vision was to literally reach “the end of the world.” But Alexander’s long military campaigns finally led his men to demand his return to their beloved homeland of Greece.
Alexander wisely eventually listened to his officers and men, who once had blindly followed him eastward, and he reluctantly began his long journey home from the borders of present-day India.
His plans called for the city of Babylon to become the new capital of his vast empire. But the Fates did not pay heed to the conqueror’s grandiose plans.
“Entry of Alexander into Babylon”, a 1665 painting by Charles LeBrun.
Death:
At the very young age of 33, Alexander suddenly fell gravely ill and to this day, the cause of his illness remains a mystery. In the span of just a few days, his strong body betrayed him, and he died in his bed on June 10 or 11 in 323 BC.
But Alexander’s legacy never died.
More than twenty cities around the world bear his name. Alexander’s influence in the East was left as a gift to the entire world, reflected in the thousands of towns and villages once under his command and in the vast lands which were colonised by Greeks.
Nearly 2,400 years after his birth, Alexander the Great is still considered one of the greatest men to have ever lived, and definitely one of the most influential Greeks in history.
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Sunday he hoped the third day of the EU leaders’ summit will manage to overcome differences and agree on a mass economic stimulus to kickstart growth in the bloc.
“We have been negotiating for three days and, obviously, there has not been sufficient progress to reach an agreement,” Mitsotakis said at the summit.
“I have noted since the very beginning that we all must compromise, but these compromises can’t be such that they weaken our ambition for a brave European response to the coronavirus crisis and the financial storm it has caused.
“We are facing an unprecedented economic crisis and we don’t have the luxury of appearing divided or weak.”
Διαπραγματευόμαστε επί 3 ημέρες και δεν έχει υπάρξει επαρκής πρόοδος ώστε να φτάσουμε σε συμφωνία. Ειλικρινά ελπίζω σήμερα να μπορέσουμε να ξεπεράσουμε το αδιέξοδο. Αντιμετωπίζουμε μια άνευ προηγουμένου κρίση – δεν έχουμε το περιθώριο να εμφανιστούμε διαιρεμένοι ή αδύναμοι. #EUCOpic.twitter.com/SHdAeEeaOm
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) July 19, 2020
The in-person conference began on Friday, July 17, in Brussels, marking the first time that EU leaders physically convened since the start of the pandemic five months prior.
The proposed sum causing debate includes the EU’s 2021-2027 budget of more than 1 trillion euros ($1.14 trillion), and a recovery fund worth up to 750 billion euros ($857 billion) that was funneled to Mediterranean coastal countries like Greece that were hit the most by COVID-19.
Greece and various other countries now want the recovery financing to prevent their economies from potentially taking on even greater burdens of dept in the future.
“The big picture is that we are faced with the biggest economic depression since World War II. We need… an ambitious solution because our citizens expect nothing less from us,” Greece’s PM further added regarding the welfare of the country and those impacted.
So far, no progress has been made on the proposal of the President of the European Union Charles Michel. President Michel outlines that a 70-30 distribution of the Recovery and Resilience Facility will be implemented, which is something that Greece is against.
If approved, under this proposal, 70 percent of funds will be committed during 2021 and 2022, while the rest of the 30 percent will be committed in 2023.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has released a statement to mark the 46th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Full message in English:
Today marks 46 years since the invasion of our martyred Cyprus by Turkish troops. It has been 46 years since a deep wound was opened in the body of Megalonisos, which unfortunately remains open.
On the occasion of this sad anniversary, we recall the tragic events of July and August 1974 and, above all, we bow with respect to the memory of our heroically fallen Cypriot brothers. At the same time, we reaffirm a sacred commitment of Greeks everywhere: To keep the historical memory alive! Let’s not forget!
We do not forget the sufferings caused to the Cypriot people by the “Attila” invasion. We do not forget the thousands of dead, missing and injured, nor the families of the victims who were left behind and suffering. We do not forget the 200,000 people who were violently uprooted from their ancestral homes. We do not forget that for 46 years the martyr island remains divided, with 37% of its territory being illegally occupied.
As the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, listening to the anguish of our expatriates and of the approximately 100,000 originating from the Megalonisos, we insist on resisting oblivion and consistently promoting the rights of the Cypriot people, at all levels, where possible.
Being deeply aware of our responsibility, we unite our voice with those of the Church of the Martyrdom of Cyprus and His Eminence Archbishop Mr. Chrysostomou, the political leadership of the country and all those who claim a fair and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue, with the prospect of liberation and reunification of the island.
At the same time, we pray to God to live soon the blessed day when reconciliation, unity and peace will prevail in the martyr Megalonisos.
Full message in Greek:
Συμπληρώνονται σήμερα 46 χρόνια από την εισβολή των
τουρκικών στρατευμάτων στη μαρτυρική μας Κύπρο. Πέρασαν 46 χρόνια από τότε που
άνοιξε μιας βαθιά πληγής στο σώμα της Μεγαλονήσου, η οποία δυστυχώς παραμένει
ανοιχτή.
Με αφορμή τη θλιβερή αυτή επέτειο, φέρνουμε ξανά στη
σκέψη μας τα τραγικά γεγονότα του Ιουλίου και του Αυγούστου του 1974 και,
πρωτίστως, υποκλινόμαστε με σεβασμό στη μνήμη των ηρωικώς πεσόντων Κυπρίων αδελφών
μας. Ταυτόχρονα, επαναβεβαιώνουμε μια ιερή δέσμευση των απανταχού Ελλήνων: Να
διατηρούμε την ιστορική μνήμη ζωντανή! Να μην ξεχνάμε!
Δεν ξεχνάμε τα δεινά που προκάλεσε στον κυπριακό λαό η
εισβολή του “Αττίλα”. Δεν ξεχνάμε τους χιλιάδες νεκρούς, αγνοούμενους
και τραυματίες, ούτε τις οικογένειες των θυμάτων που έμειναν πίσω και
υποφέρουν. Δεν ξεχνάμε τους 200.000 ανθρώπους που ξεριζώθηκαν βίαια από τις
πατρογονικές τους εστίες. Δεν ξεχνάμε ότι εδώ και 46 χρόνια το μαρτυρικό νησί
παραμένει διχοτομημένο, με το 37% του εδάφους του να τελεί υπό παράνομη κατοχή.
Ως Ιερά Αρχιεπισκοπή Αυστραλίας, εισακούγοντας την αγωνία
των Ομογενών μας και δη των 100.000 περίπου καταγόμενων από τη Μεγαλόνησο,
επιμένουμε να αντιστεκόμαστε στη λήθη και να προβάλλουμε με συνέπεια τα δίκαια
του κυπριακού λαού, σε όλα τα επίπεδα, όπου αυτό είναι εφικτό.
Έχοντας βαθιά επίγνωση της ευθύνης που μας αναλογεί,
ενώνουμε τη φωνή μας με αυτές της Μαρτυρικής Εκκλησίας της Κύπρου και του
Μακαριωτάτου Αρχιεπισκόπου κ.κ. Χρυσοστόμου, της Πολιτικής ηγεσίας της Χώρας
και όλων εκείνων που διεκδικούν μία δίκαιη και βιώσιμη λύση στο Κυπριακό
ζήτημα, με προοπτική την απελευθέρωση και την επανένωση του νησιού.
Παράλληλα, προσευχόμαστε στον Θεό να ζήσουμε σύντομα την
ευλογημένη εκείνη ημέρα που στη μαρτυρική Μεγαλόνησο θα επικρατήσει η
συμφιλίωση, η ενότητα και η ειρήνη.
“It’s a witchhunt,” said 21-year-old Drew Pavlou in a special edition of 60 Minutes last night. He’s referring to how a small protest he organised in support of democracy in Hong Kong at the University of Queensland (UQ) this year, landed him a suspension and made him a target for the world’s biggest communist superpower, China.
“I think the University of Queensland suspended me because they realised my protest threatened a relationship with the Chinese government that was worth thousands of millions of dollars every year,” Drew added.
UQ has faced media scrutiny in recent months for its relations with the Chinese government, which has co-funded four of its courses. The institution is also home to one of Australia’s many Confucius Institutes, which are Beijing-funded education centres.
The Greek Australian really is an accidental activist. Photo by: 60 Minutes.
What the university hadn’t planned for however, was a young Greek Australian to rise up against this relationship and challenge it publicly for the whole world to see.
“When you grow up in a Greek Australian household, they are very fiery households. It’s the Mediterranean blood,” Drew told 60 Minutes reporter, Tom Steinfort.
“I think UQ and the Chinese government sort of underestimated me because they didn’t know that I’d already been forged in the fires of the Pavlou family household.”
The son of Nick and Vanessa Pavlou, who own a Brisbane fruit shop, Drew says his parents love to live “a nice quiet peaceful life” and that the death threats he received after the protest were hard for them.
“That’s the hardest part for me. It makes me feel really terrible that it’s brought my family into it and they never wanted that. They just want a quiet life. That’s probably the thing I’m most ashamed of,” Drew said.
But at the end of the day, his parents are still supportive of his newfound activism, albeit hesitantly.
“As a mother, you don’t want that for your child… I’m happy he’s found his passion and I want him to pursue that and we want to encourage that, but it’s not what we would’ve chosen,” Vanessa Pavlou said during the program.
And it seems his passion has only been ignited further with his court battle against UQ to revert his suspension having been lost this month.
60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort and Drew Pavlou. Photo by: 60 Minutes.
The student activist was recently informed he would be suspended for the remainder of the year and required to complete 25 hours of “campus service.” He was found guilty of two allegations of serious general misconduct and not guilty of seven other alleged offences. Something Drew says he will fight against.
“I will fight this decision every step of the way in the Supreme Court and will have total exoneration,” Drew said.
“The Chinese government have tried to scare me to stop my activism but why should they care about me? They only care because they can’t tolerate criticism anywhere, even from a seemingly nobody.”
