During Anoula Galettis’ final days of her battle with lung cancer, she was surrounded and looked after by her family and friends, including Martina Clark.
Ms Clark tells 9 News how after Anoula’s death in 2015 at the age of 34, she pledged to create a special scheme to help carers of cancer patients.
In 2018, there were 2.6 million unpaid carers in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
“They have the same life as the patient but are not recognised as such,” Ms Clark told the broadcaster.
Martina Clark was inspired by late friend Anoula Galettis to create Carers Couch.
She has since created a website and app called Carers Couch. It aims to connect carers with people who can help make their lives easier.
It can be something as simple as putting them in touch with somebody to mow the lawn or cut their hair at home, as well as putting users in touch with other carers.
“They can go on the app, book experts directly, supporting the emotional, physical, economical aspects, and they can book them 24/7,” Ms Clark said.
Renowned hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation in Melbourne, is now trialling Carers Couch with lung cancer patients.
A damning inquest into Theo Papageorgiou’s tragic death has found that despite attending a Riverland hospital twice in January 2016 seeking to be admitted under the Mental Health Act, he “received no meaningful assistance.”
Speaking to The Advertiser, Theo’s parents, Jack and Poppy Papageorgiou, are now demanding change in South Australia’s mental health system.
“We believe this should never have happened and that our son was failed and we know that it must never happen again,” Jack Papageorgiou told the newspaper.
“The system should have been better than what it was for our son.”
Timeline of Events:
In November 2014, Theo’s mental health had begun to decline. He told his parents he was feeling depressed and not himself.
Theo’s mental health began to decline in November 2014.
He was taken to the Riverland General Hospital and then referred to a local GP who, several months later, placed him on anti-psychotic medication.
In November 24, 2015, Theo was placed on an inpatient order at the Riverland General Hospital after presenting with psychotic symptoms. He was misdiagnosed as experiencing a “first episode psychosis.” On December 1, he was released from the inpatient treatment order a day early.
On January 14, 2016, Theo was taken to the Riverland General Hospital by his parents after experiencing severe depression. He was sent home despite “red flags.”
On January 17, he was taken to hospital a second time, this time after his parents found him “distraught, frightened and highly anxious” in the middle of the night. He was sent home again.
Just days later, on January 24, 2016, Theo was found dead by his father.
Theo passed away on January 24, 2016.
A ‘preventable’ tragedy:
In his inquest findings, Deputy Coroner Anthony Schapel found that Theo’s death was preventable.
Mr Schapel noted systemic failures in dealing with Theo and his parents including that he had been misdiagnosed and there was no communication between the various services in the Riverland.
SA Health said in a statement on Monday: “we are reviewing the Coroner’s findings handed down recently and are considering the recommendation in detail.”
As part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, Greece’s Ministry of Education and Religion announced a competition for students in Greece and abroad titled, ‘1821-2021: 200 years of the Greek Revolution.’
Vasilis Zotos, a 5th grade student from the Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) city school, was distinguished in the competition and will be awarded at the Special Award Ceremony (via internet), which will take place on Saturday, November 27, 2021 from 8pm to 10pm at the Athens Concert Hall.
Vasilis’ artwork.
The Director of the School of Language and Culture of the GCM, Ms Maria Bakalidou, said that “it is touching that a student, who is so far from Greece, has been inspired by the Greek Revolution to paint one of its most important heroes.”
“A big thank you to his teacher, Mrs Katerina Grammenou, who encouraged the children to take part in the competition and a big congratulations to Vasilis for his effort.”
Vasilis Zotos.
The Deputy Coordinator of Education for Australia and New Zealand, Dr Georgia Nikolaidou, stated that “Vasilis’ participation was the only one in all of Australia. The Bureau of Education for Australia and New Zealand, rewards and congratulates such initiatives of children which show their creativity, but also that they are aware of the cultural heritage of Greece.”
The Community Schools support and encourage initiatives of their students that promote Greek learning and the development of the cultural, historical and social identity of their two homelands, Greece and Australia, in order to create thoughtful and active citizens of the world.
Australian tennis star, Nick Kyrgios, has called for the Australian Open to be cancelled next year out of respect to Melburnians who endured multiple COVID-19 lockdowns over the last two years of the pandemic.
“I don’t think the Aus Open should go ahead, just for the people in Melbourne – you’ve got to send a message,” Kyrgios said on his No Boundaries podcast.
“How long did [Melbourne] do in lockdown? 275 days or something?”
Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, is currently holding firm on a refusal to grant exemptions to unvaccinated players to take part in next year’s Australian Open. This has cast doubt over the availability of the likes of Novak Djokovic, who refuses to reveal his vaccination status.
Most of last year’s Australian Open games were held without crowds.
But Kyrgios, who has held strong opinions on Djokovic’s antics throughout the pandemic, showed some sympathy towards the world No.1 and described mandatory vaccination for tennis players as “morally wrong.”
“[Melbourne-born Brooklyn Nets NBA star] Kyrie [Irving], Novak … These guys have given so much, sacrificed so much. They are global athletes who millions of people look up to,” Kyrgios said.
“I just think it is so morally wrong to force someone to be vaccinated.
Djokovic at the Australian Open this year.
“I’m double vaccinated, but I just don’t think it’s right to force anyone [to be vaccinated] and say ‘you can’t come and play here because you’re not vaccinated’.”
Kyrgios said that tennis players should get tested for COVID-19 every day instead.
“In the States I know they’ve got rapid tests, and it’s coming to Australia. It’s 85% success rate, you wait 15 minutes and then you’re allowed to play,” he said.
The Australian Open is set to take place in Melbourne next January.
In addition to the pilot, it has a paramedic on board to give space for the four-member family, who will be brought back to the Olympic Dam airport.
Orios Zavros, his wife and two children were travelling across Australia on the trip of a lifetime when they found themselves stranded in the Simpson Desert after their campervan became bogged due to heavy rain.
The family set off their emergency beacon about 10am on Friday after becoming stuck in their modified Mitsubishi Canter about 150 kilometres northwest of Oodnadatta.
The beacon led to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) sending a plane from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport to deliver essential supplies to the Perth family. Food, water, DVDs, sweets and nappies were included in the delivery.
At the time, Orios’ mum, Theo, and dad, Lagis Zavros, said the family was coping well with their predicament.
Victoria’s coroner has begun its inquest into the deaths of 50 residents, 45 of whom died with COVID-19, at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged at Fawkner in Melbourne’s north in July and August last year.
According to ABC News, the first day of the inquest heard that at one point a deceased patient was wheeled out in front of other residents, that infected residents were mingling with the healthy, bins were overflowing and medication was left on the floor.
Coroner John Cain also heard that Victorian Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton, stood down the entire workforce at St Basil’s Fawkner despite warnings from doctors that residents would be in danger and knowing the federal government was struggling to find a replacement workforce.
On Monday, the inquest also heard from some of the 65 witnesses.
Christine Golding, whose mother Efraxia Tsalanidis was one of the residents who died at St Basil’s Fawkner, said the neglect her mother suffered at the facility “was inhumane, cruel and degrading.”
The coroner was shown a confronting image of Ms Tsalanidis in bed, wearing a white T-shirt and staring into space, taken by Ms Golding through a window.
“Her eyes are terrible, lost, awful,” her daughter told the hearing, saying the experience of her mother’s last days were petrifying.
Christine Golding’s mother Efraxia died at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Melbourne. Photo: ABC News.
“Never in a million centuries did I ever think that would be the way I would find my mother, I would get to spend the last moments with my mother… It’s been heart-breaking. It’s been traumatic.
“I want the true story to be told and documented… Australians deserve to know why our aged care COVID-19 preparedness was so poor, why it spectacularly failed my mother and contributed to her premature death.”
Judge Cain will investigate how prepared both state and federal health departments were for the outbreak, how it started at St Basil’s, the spread of the virus, the decision to furlough staff and how future tragedies could be prevented.
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andreas Katsaniotis, has held a meeting for the second time in two months with Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, Arthur Spyrou.
The two men, who also met in mid-September, held discussions in a very friendly atmosphere. The meeting was also attended by the President of The Hellenic Initiative Australia, Nicholas Pappas.
Everyone in attendance underlined the excellent bilateral relations between Greece and Australia and stressed the common will to strengthen and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Delighted to meet & congratulate the new Dep. Minister for Greeks Abroad, Andreas @katsaniotis, on his new role. Discussed avenues to strengthen the bilateral cooperation, & the role of the ever-enterprising 🇦🇺🇬🇷diaspora in creating trade, investment & cultural links@dfat@gocmvpic.twitter.com/eSoqB47Bnt
A special mention was made to the strong presence of Greek expatriates in Australia, who form a bridge of friendship with Greece and play an important role in the country’s political, economic and cultural development.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also expressed his desire to visit Australia as soon as possible.
“I had the pleasure to meet with the Ambassador of Australia, Mr Arthur Spyrou, and the President of The Hellenic Initiative Australia, Mr Nicholas Pappas. I was thoroughly informed about the work of the organisation and we discussed ways to further strengthen the ties of our expatriates with the homeland,” Mr Katsaniotis said in a statement.
Turkey’s Deputy President, Fuat Oktay, said on Monday that his country won’t be deterred from continuing drilling for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, Ekathimerinireports.
“We are not afraid of anyone. Those who seek an adventure in the eastern Mediterranean will get an answer,” Oktay said during a ceremony to mark the 38th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence.
Turkey says it won’t be deterred from gas drilling in East Med.
Oktay’s remarks come after the Cypriot government said that ExxonMobil and partner, Qatar Petroleum, would resume in a few weeks drilling in an area southwest of Cyprus.
A consortium made up of energy companies, Total of France and Italian Eni, will also resume drilling off Cyprus’ southern coast in the first half of next year.
This news comes as ships and aircraft from eight nations took part in annual drills last week to boost safety and security procedures on vessels and oil rigs off Cyprus’ southern coastline.
Helicopters, drones and some 6,000 police officers will be deployed as part of the tight security operation planned by police in central Athens on November 17 – the anniversary of the 1973 student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic.
Greek Police (ELAS) will guard government buildings, embassies and universities to avoid attacks or squatting, Ekathimerinireports.
On November 17, Greece will mark the anniversary of the 1973 student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic.
There will also be an increased police presence in the wider area of Exarchia, where anti-establishment rioters traditionally mount raids on police after the end of the main march for the anniversary.
ELAS will also keep water cannons on stand-by while the marches take place.
Since becoming NSW Labor Leader in June 2021, Chris Minns MP has hit the ground running, working with Sydney’s multicultural communities and small businesses to help them through the difficult lockdown in NSW.
In this exclusive interview, his first with a Greek medium in Australia, Mr Minns opens up about the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on these communities and businesses, as well as his plans to win back NSW Labor votes before the next state election. He also gives a strong message to the Greek Australian community stating: “we want to reengage with you.”
1. In your opinion, has the NSW Government handled the pandemic correctly? If not, what would a Labor government have done?
If I say we would have done it completely differently and we would have done it better, if I was reading that I would be sitting at home and saying, ‘they’d say that wouldn’t they.’ In reality, it’s been a very difficult period for governments around the world. I’ve been really resistant about criticising the current Premier and his predecessor about the decisions they took.
We had some really basic principles of choice. This was a health crisis not a political crisis and the government deserved out support, provided it was based on the health advice. I think the real credit belongs to frontline workers, those people that got vaccinated and in particular, I’ve got to give a big shout out to those people that were concerned about the vaccine but decided to get health advice and eventually got the vaccination anyway.
But I’m glad we’re through this period and I think the former Premier Gladys Berejiklian, in particular, we should give a debt of gratitude because she marshalled the state’s resources in a tough time.
The NSW Labor Leader has shared his thoughts on the NSW Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: David Gray / AFP via Getty Images.
2.You have been the NSW Labor Leader for almost five months now in an admittedly turbulent period for the state. How are you keeping up?
It was difficult particularly in my electorate of Kogarah, which has a very high Greek Australian community. I saw people, family, friends, people in my community, business leaders, doing it very, very difficult. So that was really hard particularly as I was in one of the locked down Local Government Areas.
Seeing my community suffer was difficult. Personally, I had a job, I’ve got a family, we were fine, but my heart went out to people who did it really tough over the last three months and in particular, small business owners that kept their staff on and tried to keep their doors open and thought of innovative ways to keep turnover going… I think it’s a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit of western Sydney and south-western Sydney.
3. During your tenure we have been advocating for small businesses and multicultural communities of West and South West Sydney that were left behind during the pandemic. What is your vision for these communities?
I’ve been largely driven in relation to that by Steve Kamper MP. He is such a huge asset for the NSW Opposition and I think politics in the state. This is somebody that’s worked for and with small businesses for 35 years and he gives a perspective to our approach to the way government deals with businesses that we don’t have, that the government doesn’t even have. He really led the Opposition’s response to business support during the pandemic.
In particular, was the support for those that have got long term leases but couldn’t have the turnover to pay those leases. We demanded that emergency payments be given to small and medium sized enterprises. The government didn’t have a plan for that.
Minns with Steve Kamper MP (left).
Most recently, we’ve been focusing on ensuring that business support be based on turnover for businesses so the economy recovering rather than vaccination rates. I think that vaccination rates will closely align with an uptick in the economy, but it’s not a given job guarantee.
We didn’t want any business to close or any jobs to be permanently lost because that business in Western Sydney did the right thing and listened to their own government’s health advice. That is completely unfair if they have to close permanently because the government said you can’t operate. They did the right thing. They needed help and support. So, I’ve got to give a lot of credit to Steve Kamper there. He’s been really good.
4. You have criticised heavily the government’s economic recovery strategy and the approach to privatisation. What would Labor do differently?
I’ve been very critical about privatisation for one simple reason. The costs are passed on to consumers and taxpayers in the long run and we’ve seen that with tolls, we’ve seen that with public transport. The Head of the ACCC has been very critical of the government’s decision to privatise what are effectively monopolies in NSW because the consumer ends up paying more.
If you look at the situation over the last two years where it’s been very difficult for everybody in NSW, I just think the tolls are up, taxes are up, fines are up. The idea that you privatise government assets so a private company can increase charges as well, it’s just more than many people can afford. We want people to start businesses and grow their bank balances and invest in their children and stimulate the economy. That can’t happen if the cost of living in Sydney in particular are through the roof.
I don't just oppose selling off more public assets – I'm going to legislate to stop it.
This week we'll introduce an anti-privatisation bill to NSW Parliament.
Our bill will force the Government to get approval from both houses of parliament to sell off any of these assets. pic.twitter.com/A6kEHK5E0u
5. What is your plan until the next state election to win back NSW Labor votes?
The Party has been spectacularly unsuccessful for the long time, particularly in NSW, and you can’t turn that around immediately. It takes time and the reason it takes time is because I think a lot of people would be sitting on the fence. Perhaps a lot of former Labor voters would say you know, ‘Am I prepared to support the Opposition? What are the things I need to see?’
What they need to see is a disciplined outfit, one that uses a lot of common sense, one that is not radical but focused on bringing people together and finding solutions to the problems, and one that is listening to them.
I am firmly of the view that the Liberals and Nationals after 11 years in office, 12 years in office by the time of the next election, asking for 16 years in office at the next election, it’s too long for one political party to be in power. I think we’ve got the freshness and the energy to drive the state forward. I genuinely believe that so we’ve got a big challenge. We have to climb Everest but you know, I think we’re up to the task.
6. There’s a few by elections coming up very shortly. How do you feel about them and will Labor contest them all?
We’ve made a decision about Bega that we are going to contest it. I have to make a decision based on two things. Firstly, resourcing. We have the general election in twelve months’ time, we have to contest 93 seats across NSW. It’s extremely expensive and we have to raise money for it. The temptation is to save your pennies for the general election which is obviously the one that will determine the government, but also the people in those communities deserve a choice and they deserve a choice between the government and the Opposition. So it’s competing pressures on me to make that decision.
Minns outlines his plan for the next state election.
We’ve made the decision in relation to be Bega. The community needs a choice. We’ve got to make a call on Monaro and Willoughby in the coming weeks. Although interestingly, none of the members of Parliament who have indicated that they’re leaving have submitted their resignations yet. So I don’t even know when the by-election date will be so we’ve got a bit of time up our sleeve.
7. In 2019, you supported the decriminalisation of abortion however, you have publicly indicated that you will vote against the voluntary assisted dying bill. Don’t you think people with terminal illnesses, who will die within six months or 12 months, need to have this choice?
That’s a very good point and I respect people who will be supporting the legislation. I’m in the minority inside the Labor Party against it. They’ll be overwhelming support inside the Parliamentary Caucus. It’s a conscience vote for Labor MPs. I’ll never change that. It’s up to every individual MP to make that decision so I’m not going to impose my views on my colleagues.
My concern with the legislation is that I don’t think you can codify the bill for a vulnerable person who feels that they’re a burden on their family and friends and decides to opt for euthanasia because they think that they’re a burden on their loved ones. I don’t think that you can find a form of words to eliminate that risk. That’s always been my view but I expect the legislation to pass the Legislative Assembly.
8.Thousands of members of the Greek community have been impacted by the government’s proposed taxi licence reforms and, although the government has promised further action to assist many families, still live with uncertainty. What is Labor planning to assist those families?
The first thing Labor did when I was Shadow Transport Minister was ensuring that the $1 surcharge remain in place so that provides a revenue source for a potential compensation package in the future.
The NSW government paid $20,000 per license. It was taxed so in the end, many taxi plate owners received $12,000. There was no sense that for many people they invested in taxi licenses in lieu of property or shares or some kind of other asset thinking, that the government will protect their investment because the government was the one issuing the licenses. They’ve given them effectively nothing for the value of these plates, particularly if you own multiple plates and we need to give fair compensation to those communities.
The main thing I wanted to do is ensure that there was a revenue stream to make sure that we could pay that and Uber and ride sharing companies attempted to extinguish that $1.10 surcharge so we demanded that it stay in place, which the government reluctantly agreed to. So a compensation package needs to be generous and fair and we’re working on a package to take to the next election. But to be honest with you, I hope the government gazumps us and comes up with their own independent compensation package before the next election because for many taxi club owners, they can’t afford to wait.
9.In your opinion, how fair is that $50,000 compensation that the government is willing to pay the owners of taxi plates?
I’m not even sure they’re prepared to offer $50,000. There was a consultation paper that suggested that $50,000 would be the figure. The Victorians package was $100,000 and it’s nowhere near enough to cover the costs.
We’ve been talking closely with the Taxi Council and other independent taxi associations about the best way forward. It’s very hard to negotiate with the industry from Opposition because we just don’t have the resources of government. But I’m aware that we need to have a package in place to take to the next election so that the community can have some certainty about what Labor would offer. You know, I think it’s also worth pointing out that the Liberal Party, which is supposed to be the Party for small businesses, have left these communities high and dry.
10. The Greek community has been a strong supporter of the Labor Party for many decades. What is your message to the Greek community as we approach the next elections?
My message to the Greek community is that over many decades, the Greek community in Australia has built this wonderful country that we live in, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne and Adelaide. They’re the hard-working backbone of so many industries, whether it’s retail, fine dining and dining, property sector, media, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude going back many generations.
I think the Labor Party is desperate, I’ll say that, to reengage with the Greek Australian community so that they can see us as the Party of opportunity, the Party that respects and supports the Greek diaspora in Australia, and that we have a vision for a dynamic, exciting future. I’ve sensed a bit of a drift from the Greek community away from Labor in recent years. Would that be fair? You know, I’m determined to put a flag in the ground and work hard for those votes and I’ll never ever take anything for granted. We want them back and we want the community back and we’re prepared to work very hard to do that.
