South Australia’s new Labor government was sworn in during a special ceremony at Governor House on Thursday.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas decided his ministry members on Wednesday night following a brief caucus meeting.
Congratulations to the Hon Tom Koutsantonis, MP @TKoutsantonisMP
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister for Energy and Mining Member of Executive Council Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly pic.twitter.com/mn2CyvQRMg
The Honourable Tom Koutsantonis MP was sworn in as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining, and became a Member of Executive Council and Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly.
Congratulations to the Hon Kyam Maher, the Hon Katrine Hildyard, the Hon Nat Cook and the Hon Andrea Michaels who will be sworn in at a later ceremony. pic.twitter.com/k8UU4OnaID
The Honourable Andrea Michaels MP‘s new portfolio is as the Minister for Small and Family Business, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, Minister for Arts, as well as a Member of Executive Council.
The who’s who of Sydney’s philanthropic community gathered on the lawns of Justin Hemmes’ Vaucluse mansion on Saturday night for The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation’s annual fundraiser, The Silver Party.
Among the guests who adopted the “flats, wedges or barefoot” Haute Boheme dress code were rich-listers John Symond and wife Amber, luxury car salesman Neville Crichton and wife Nadi, and property developer John Boyd and wife Marlee.
And they weren’t afraid to spend big on the night.
Event host Justin Hemmes and his girlfriend Madeline Holtznagel. Picture: Getty Images.Hemmes’ Vaucluse home was the backdrop for the Haute Boheme-themed event. Picture: Damian Shaw.
The Silver Committee, which is Chaired by Maree Andrews who has Greek heritage, had ambitions of raising a million dollars for the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital at the party, but this expectation was exceeded.
A live auction on the night, run by auctioneer Damien Cooley, started with Liberal party vice-president Teena McQueen pledging $300,000 for the children’s cancer centre on behalf of Australia’s richest person, billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
In the end, according to a post on the Foundation’s Facebook page, “a record-breaking $2.8 million was raised [on the night] to help support the kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.”
“The Silver community has shown enormous generosity over the last two challenging years,” Ms Andrews, who is celebrating 20 years on the Silver Party committee and 16 years as Chair, told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Donors have continued to pledge money to support Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation and guests donated their ticket monies and have repurchased afresh.”
Pantzarosalata is the name of the traditional Greek beetroot salad. This is one of the healthiest dishes around as beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. As a result, beetroots have been linked with several health benefits, such as improved blood flow and lower blood pressure.
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch beetroot, bulbs and leaves 2 garlic cloves, minced Juice of 1 lemon Splash of apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Fresh mint and parsley, chopped
Photo: Pieces of Greece
METHOD
1. Trim the stems off your beets leaving 1 inch on your bulbs. Set aside leaves in cold water. Trim the roots but only up to the surface of the bulb, don’t cut into the bulb. Rinse bulbs well, rubbing with your hands. 2. Boil water in large pot, adding 1 tsp of salt. Then add beetroot bulbs and boil for 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a skewer. Add leaves and boil for a further 15 minutes. 3. Remove from heat, top up with cold water to stop the boiling process. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Drain water. 4. Now trim the roots and stems off your bulbs. Put on food grade gloves and use your fingers to slide off the skin. Then cube your beetroot and place into large bowl. Squeeze excess water from leaves and add to bowl. 5. Mix together garlic, lemon, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and herbs in a small bowl. Pour all over beetroot and mix through gently. 6. Season with extra salt only if required.
Tip: Boil the beets with the skin on and simply slide the skin off when you’re done. This way the beautiful rounded shape of your beets are preserved. Also, enjoy some of the most tender “horta” by simply boiling your beet leaves in with the bulbs.
*Keep up with Christina’s culinary adventures by following Pieces of Greece on Instagramor Facebook
The Ambassador of Australia to Greece, Arthur Spyrou, has sent an exclusive message to The Greek Herald to mark the 201st anniversary since the start of the Greek War of Independence.
In the message, Ambassador Spyrou honours the heroes of the Greek Revolution, congratulates the Greek community on their role in the development of Australia, and emphasises how in the current geopolitical situation Greece and Australia are again allies and on the same side of history.
The full message, as told to Nick Siriodis, is below.
“March 25 – the day on which National Polygenesis is celebrated. It is a day of celebration for Greeks and Philhellenes everywhere. It is also a special day of joy and pride for one of the most active and vibrant Greek communities in the world, the Greek community of Australia, which despite the distance maintains prosperous ties with the land of its ancestors.
Every year, numerous Greek Australian communities honour their ties to Greece with events across Australia. This may not have been possible over the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions but now all of us, the Greeks of Australia, hope that with the gradual return to normalcy we will be able to meet again and celebrate Greek National Day as it deserves to be celebrated.
The 201st anniversary of the Greek Revolution is an occasion to pay tribute to the prominent and lesser-known heroes of the war, to celebrate the impressive path the country has taken over the past two centuries, and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that Greece can seize in the future. At the same time, it is an occasion for Greek Australians to celebrate their strong ties with Greece and to reflect on the ways they can strengthen them for the benefit of both countries.
Ambassador Spyrou.
The Greek community has made a decisive contribution to the progress of the Australian nation, contributing to the full range of social, economic, political and cultural activity and participating in shaping the multicultural character of society. It is also a traditional bridge between Greece and Australia and has proven to play a key role in expanding and enhancing bilateral cooperation by promoting synergies in the fields of culture, education, sport, trade and investment.
Finally, the anniversary of 1821 is an occasion to reflect on the common values that unite Australia and Greece, the unwavering belief of both countries in the values of democracy, the rule of law, respect for international law and, especially in the current context, in the supreme good of freedom. At major historical crossroads, Australia and Greece have found allies and rivals.
We are bound by bonds that were forged through common struggles on the battlefields and in the current geopolitical situation, Australia and Greece are again allies on the same side of history. At this historic crossroads, let us reflect again on the value of freedom and the hard, daily struggles it requires to conquer and protect its essence.”
The Environment Ministry announced a number of special terms and building restrictions that will be enforced around the immediate suburbs that surround the Acropolis in an effort to protect the wider area from illegal construction.
According to the approved draft, construction in the wider Makrygianni-Koukaki area at the base of the Acropolis can only be approved and carried out within the parameters of three zones, with heights ranging from 17.5 metres to 24 metres maximum.
The ministry said the aim of these new terms and restrictions is to preserve the area around the Acropolis and showcase it through ‘transparent legal framework.’
There has been a public outcry for these restrictions or terms to come into place after a 10-story hotel almost was being built within the archaeological site of the Acropolis, if permitted to continue it would have completely blocked the view of the heritage listed site.
The issue prompted investigation from the environment and culture ministries to ensure that any gaps in zoning laws are corrected and provisions are put in place to allow intervention in order to preserve the integrity of the Acropolis site.
Deputy Environment Minister, Nikos Tagaras told the Athens News Agency, this draft opens up the way for investments that are greatly needed within the area and opens up development potential for the future.
“It was our responsibility to protect the Acropolis and at the same time to highlight and preserve the special urban, aesthetic, historical and architectural character of the area by clearly defining the building terms,” Tagaras said.
Federal Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese, has sent a joyful message of celebration to the Greek community of Australia to mark Greek Independence Day on March 25.
In his message, Mr Albanese stressed the strong connection between Greece and Australia and said “it’s something we take great pride in as Australians.”
The imposition of fines was first introduced in November 2021 to encourage vaccination among senior citizens, who were the most at risk of hospitalisation and serious complications after contracting the virus.
Greece’s Alternate Health Minister, Mina Gaga, announced the news on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed his gratitude to Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, for his willingness to lead a humanitarian mission to the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol once permission is granted by both Ukraine and the invading Russians.
“He is the first European official who has decided to support the work of the humanitarian corridors to Mariupol, in order to save our people in the city and transport humanitarian aid, which is very important for everyone there,” Zelenskyy said during a speech in the Italian parliament on Tuesday.
During my visit to🇮🇳, I received a phone call from my friend, Minister of Foreign Affairs of 🇺🇦, Mr. @DmytroKuleba. He was kind enough to call me so as to convey the gratitude of his government, of President @ZelenskyyUa, for 🇬🇷's effort to deliver humanitarian aid to #Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/G3keCTNhVr
Dendias announced his intention to lead a humanitarian mission to Mariupol on Tuesday and said he had already sent an official notice to the Ukrainian side to facilitate the mission’s passage.
“I plan to escort this assistance myself, in coordination with the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, with whom we are already in contact,” Dendias said at the time.
Dendias said that Greece’s priority was to protect unarmed civilians and ethnic Greeks living in Mariupol.
Ukrainian, Greek FMs agree on tighter sanctions against Russia:
This comes as Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said on Wednesday he had agreed with Dendias that “sanctions on Russia must be further elevated.”
In our call, Greek FM @NikosDendias and I agreed that sanctions on Russia must be further elevated. Russia must pay the price for its ongoing war against Ukraine. Grateful to Nikos Dendias for his personal efforts to provide Mariupol and its Greek community with humanitarian aid.
The two leaders spoke over the phone about the tougher sanctions, with Kuleba later writing on Twitter that “Russia must pay the price for its ongoing war against Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also expressed his gratitude to Dendias for “his personal efforts to provide Mariupol and its Greek community with humanitarian aid.”
According to Ekathimerini, the European Union has also agreed to move towards the joint purchase of natural gas to avoid another energy crisis tied to its dependency on Russian energy.
The 27-nation bloc acknowledges it has been far too reliant on Russia for natural gas and oil and has been struggling to find the right mix of sanctions to punish the Kremlin for invading Ukraine while still requiring Russian fossil fuels.
With energy prices high and supplies low, the EU is looking at its last crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic – as a blueprint. The member states joined up to buy vaccines in huge quantities for an equitable distribution.
“I expect that this would be the approach which should be also endorsed by the heads of states and government,” EU Commission Vice President, Maros Sefcovic, said during a two-day EU summit.
After events celebrating the Bicentenary of Greece’s Independence were marred last year due to COVID-19, there was a spirit of euphoria at the Hellenic Museum on Wednesday. The event, held by the Greek Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne, ahead of the 25 March celebration of Greece’s freedom from the Ottoman Turks did not fail to deliver – especially when Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews took the stand.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews spoke of the offerings of the Greeks to Victoria and announced the coming of the Evzones to Melbourne from April 21-29 for Anzac Day following an agreement with Greece’s National Guard. He reminded those present of the efforts former health minister Jenny Mikakos had made to bring a display from Greece’s prestigious National Archaeological Museum to Melburnians, which will finally come to fruition at the Melbourne Museum in April. He invited people to visit Open Horizons: Ancient Greek Journeys and Connections.
Hellenic Museum CEO Sarah Craig spoke of the museum’s goal to promote the “Hellenic story in its many forms, presenting its history from the ancient to the contemporary and sharing it with the diverse audience”.
There was plenty of diversity squeezed into the auditorium. Greek Consul General to Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis was joined by members of other consulates from Lebanon, the Czech Republic, the Arabic Republic of Egypt, Italy, Romania and the United States.
Multicultural Minister Ros Spence was present along with Greek MPs, including Steve Dimopoulos, Lee Tarlamis and Kath Theophanous. Premier Andrews joked that Victoria’s treasurer Tim Pallas, also present, was also 1/8 Greek. Other eminent guests included Peter Khalil and Victoria’s Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick, representing Matthew Guy.
Greek leaders and representatives of community organisations were also present among the guests, including Greek Community of Melbourne President Bill Papastergiadis and Tony Tsourdalakis, head of the Organising Committee for the Celebration of the National Anniversary.
The exhibition-tribute to the revolution of 1821, presented for the first time in Australia by St Basil’s in collaboration with the War Museum of Greece, is proving to be a huge success, receiving rave comments and visiting traffic skyrocketing.
The rare exhibition is hosted at Sydney’s historic Town Hall and along with artworks from the Greek Revolution of 1821, from the War Museum of Greece, it also presents traditional Greek costumes from the impressive collection “Heroes of metal” by internationally renowned sculptor Nikos Floros.
The exhibition is presented for the first time in Australia and has the primary purpose of glorifying the ideal of freedom, which is so afflicted nowadays.
We visited the exhibition and had the opportunity to talk with Captain Nikolaos Roussos, who serves at the War Museum of Athens. He has studied museology and art conservation and his specialty is curator of museum collections.
“In principle I would like to thank all the operators involved for bringing this exhibition to faraway Australia. I am very happy because I have not yet realised that I am out of Greece, even though I have been in Australia for 10 days. The hospitality is so warm here and the exhibition has been embraced by Greeks and Australians”, says Captain N. Roussos.
“We started together with St Basils with the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop of Australia Mr. Makarios. Together with Mr. George Koromvokis we prepared this Exhibition. We also collaborated with the Greek sculptor Nikos Floros, who has brought us his creations that have been made from tins of soft drinks and we have brought exhibits that come from the Athens War Museum. In short, they were removed from the museum grounds, packed and transported to Sydney for the first time. It is also the first time that they go outside the War Museum outside Europe,” he stressed.
Captain Nikolaos Roussos, Photo: The Greek Herald
We asked him how easy or difficult it was to transport all these exhibits to Sydney.
“Because it was the first time and with the restrictions due to Covid, it was quite difficult to transport the exhibits. But the final result makes us happy because we managed to bring these objects here, and people come to admire them.
“I cannot describe my feelings when I see elderly people crying when we show them around the exhibition, telling us their own stories and spontaneously declaring: “you have finally come here to tell us a few words about our history.”
“I tell them that we have not forgotten them, and that with this exhibition we awake a lot of memories,” said Captain Roussos.
E.K.: The Exhibition has been open for a few days. What was the response of our community.
“The exhibition has been visited so far by more than a thousand people, although it was opened only a few days ago. I notice that visitors love it, even Australians who do not know Greek history, however they come and are interested to know what this occupation from the Ottoman Empire was, and ask how many years it lasted. In fact, when we tell them that the occupation lasted 400 years, they express their admiration and say, “have you endured so many years and been able to be liberated after four centuries?”
“I tell them: “We had faith in God. Those who fought gave what fortunes they had with the sole aim of liberating our homeland”.
E.K.: How important is this Exhibition for the 2nd and 3rd generation of Greek Australians?
“I think it is very important because the 1st generation has given something to the 2nd. The 2nd to 3rd slowly began to dwindle. But it is very important because we awake memories of Greece, we tell them who our ancestors were, we show them what our ancestors did for us, something similar that those who are here in Australia do for Greece. Many of them are great benefactors who have offered much to Greece, just like the Philhellenes in those years.
“The Philhellenes when they saw the Greeks rebelling and doing something good for the interest of their country, recognized that they should be helped. From that point on, English, French, Russians, Spaniards, etc. followed their example. who rushed to provide a helping hand to Greece.
“In a way this is also the case today with expats. They see Greece facing some economic hardship, having some trouble from earthquakes or fires. Diaspora is always on the side of Greece”.
E.K.: The International Artist Nikos Floros had stated: “in today’s critical era, we all join together in order to have the best result for our homeland, having the belief that the promotion of our country through artistic events of high prestige and international scope is a solid strategy that can bring multiple benefits, at a political, cultural and economic level”. How do you comment on this statement of the internationally renowned artist;
“My comment is that where the Greeks are united they achieve a lot. The bad thing is that when we achieve a lot and reach the maximum, that’s where we start to have a problem, with everyone trying to take the initiative.
“In this exhibition we proved that a Greek sculptor together with a large Museum- The War Museum of Athens-, we managed to join forces and bring many exhibits to Australia to stimulate the morale of the diaspora, to show the expatriates how much we love them and in their way they – when they come here – show us how much they love us and that they have not forgotten us”.
E.K.: What is your message to Greek Australians as they prepare for the 25th of March celebrations?
“As I said before when we are united we can achieve a lot. The Greeks here in Australia love us. We love them twice as much. I know that they have a nostalgia at some point to go back to Greece, stay in Greece or even come on vacation. I felt the same when I came here, I wanted to meet the Greeks who love us and in difficult times they help and support us”.
E.K.: Should we expect similar Exhibitions soon?
“We have put into the program – after we have solved the obstacles that exist and we now know what we can bring and what not- a goal, with the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop of Australia Makarios, to be able to bring an anniversary exhibition every year for longer periods. For example next year we can bring something about the Battle of Crete. The year after we can bring something for Asia Minor. We think about doing something every year.”
Full Details:
‘1821 Greek Art Exhibition’
Exhibition dates: March 13 to April 3, 2022
Open 7 days, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Venue: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.Admission is free.
