With less than 6 weeks to go until the 2021 Census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) have kicked off its advertising campaign, looking to ensure Australia’s multicultural communities are informed and prepared to participate.
It will be Australia’s 18th Census, to be held on Tuesday 10 August. It will include over 10 million households and 25 million people.
There will be resources available to support the 21% of Australians who speak a language other than English at home. The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) is also available on 131 450 to assist those requiring additional in-language support.
Census General Manager, Chris Libreri, said it was important for our multicultural communities to have information about the Census in their own language, in particular new migrants who will be doing their first Australian Census this year.
“The last Census in 2016 showed that our diversity is increasing – with nearly half of Australians either born overseas or with one or both parents born overseas,” Mr Libreri said.
“Many people don’t realise that information collected in the Census, such as country of birth and languages spoken at home, helps inform important services and support for migrant and refugee communities across Australia.
“Our message for Census this year is “Every stat tells a story”. We’ll have illustrations and real-life examples of how Census data has benefited the multicultural community. This includes community services for new migrants, and activities to keep older people healthy and connected.
“Everyone who is in Australia on Census night needs to complete it – it doesn’t matter if you’re a citizen, a resident, or just visiting. The only exception to this is foreign diplomats and their families.”
Mr Libreri said Census staff are already engaging across the country, working with local community groups and stakeholders to get Census-ready.
“We’ve particularly focused on hiring field staff who speak additional languages, and reflect the diversity of the communities they’ll be working in.”
Mr Libreri said this year, people can start their Census as soon as they receive instructions if they know where they’ll be on Tuesday 10 August.
What is the Census? The Census, held on Tuesday 10 August 2021, is a snapshot of who we are and tells the story of how we are changing. It is one of the largest and most important statistical collections undertaken by the ABS.
How will people complete their Census? People will be able to complete the Census online, on their mobile device, or on paper. There will be a number of options available for people who need assistance to complete their Census form, including help from Census field staff, and phone and online help.
What’s new with the Census? People will be encouraged to complete their Census as soon as they receive their instructions, if they know where they’ll be on Tuesday 10 August. They don’t have to wait until Census night. The ABS will also introduce new questions in the 2021 Census—the first changes to questions collected since 2006. The new questions are on long-term health conditions, such as arthritis and diabetes, and on service in the Australian Defence Force.
Sultry and soulful are two words which perfectly encapsulate the music style of Kokatha Greek artist, Lady Lash.
Also known as Crystal Clyne Mastosavvas, the artist is making her mark on the First Nations hip hop scene with her trademark sultry vocals and lush beats.
In fact, when she’s not bringing her magic to stages from the Sydney Opera House to prime rooftop bars and grass root festivals, she’s releasing singles such as Thieving Hearts in 2020.
So to mark NAIDOC week, The Greek Herald thought it was the perfect time to look into her song a little bit deeper.
In this song, Lady Lash sweeps you up gently in the subtle rise and fall of her delivery, according to Double J. This lulls you into her poetic world, which references nature, the feminine, family and relationships, and how they all intersect.
Kokatha Greek artist, Lady Lash. Source: Facebook.
A gifted storyteller drawing on both sides of her cultural heritage, the evolution of Lady Lash as an artist and musician is clear with this track and her mature delivery sets her apart from contemporaries in this genre.
“I wrote this song about connecting back to my hometown and how spiritual and powerful that can be, all while honouring your culture, deep memories and your inner feminine & masculine,” Lady Lash writes on her website.
With such a clear passion for both her Kokatha and Greek heritages, we can’t wait to see where Lady Lash’s talents take her next.
The official opening of the Greek Museum of Adelaide’s sixth Exhibition entitled ‘A Cultural Trip in Greek Heritage’ was held on Thursday, July 8, at the West Torrens Auditorium Gallery in Adelaide.
The exhibition aims to celebrate the Greek culture and heritage and honour the bicentenary of the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire through a number of art pieces donated by local and international artists.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/ Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/ Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
At the official ceremony, among others the Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas; Member for West Torrens, Tom Koutsantonis MP; Mayor of City of West Torrens, Michael Coxon; Mayor of the City of Charles Sturt, Angela Evans; newly appointed Chair of the SA Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission (SAMEAC) Andriana Christopoulos and President of the Greek Orthodox Community of SA, Bill Gonis. Serving as Master of Ceremonies was the Museum’s Vice President, Spiros Sarris.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/ Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
One of the event’s three main speakers, Mayor Coxon shared how he has experienced the Greek values of ‘Philoxenia, Philotimo and Philanthropia – Φιλοξενία, Φιλότιμο και Φιλανθρωπία’ and praised the Museum’s Founder, Chrysoula Melissinakis for her efforts.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas said that Adelaide’s Greek Museum is a link between past, present and future and highlighted the contribution of Greek immigrants to the country’s multicultural tapestry.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
President Chrysoula Melissinakis, thanked the attendees, members, supporters and volunteers before she went on to stress the importance of a permanent home for the Museum’s ever-growing collection.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
The Exhibition will be open to the public until July 30 and features a number of Lectures (in English and Greek) as well as Fundraising Movie Nights for a Gold coin donation. For more information and details visit: http://greek-museum.com.au
Former heavyweight NSL club, Sydney Olympic FC, will host the A-League’s most successful outfit, Sydney FC, at Belmore in the Round of 32 in the FFA Cup.
“It’s fantastic to be drawn to play Sydney FC. A game like this is really great for the club as a whole, great for the die hard fans and obviously nice for the players to test themselves,” Sydney Olympic head coach, Ante Juric, tells The Greek Herald.
“This year we’ve put more emphasis on the future, as can be seen with our youthful squad, where close to half the squad of players are under 22, so we are a team in transition but building nicely for the future years.”
— Sydney Olympic FC (@SydneyOlympicFC) July 8, 2021
Mr Juric went on to say that drawing Sydney FC will be a great opportunity for all the players to showcase the team’s potential and to fast track their development as individuals and as a team.
“The team will respect Sydney FC, as they have proven to be the best team in Australia over the past 5 years. However, we will do everything we can to win and progress,” the head coach says.
“The club has a superb history of winning, winning against the odds and of being title/cup winners, it’s in the club’s bloodline. Past glories in the NSL show that and recent glories in the NSWNPL reinforces that as a club.
“All in all, again, this is a great opportunity and as a team we are looking forward to the grandeur of the game versus SFC and we will give it everything we have to get a positive result.”
Teams in the round of 32 have been divided into four zones to avoid potential problems caused by border restrictions.
The winner of this year’s Cup will have the chance to qualify for the 2022 AFC Champions League.
The history of Lagias Spirits stretches back so far that it begins in the era of the Ottoman Empire.
Aaron Lagias has decided to revive his great-great grandfather’s ouzo decades later at a distillery in Brunswick, Melbourne, which sources Balinese vanilla bean from his wife, Yeni’s, company.
“It just works perfectly that I get to use this amazing vanilla from my wife’s village in Bali into our Greek spirits,” he says.
“It’s a little bit of a multicultural twist.”
Aaron Lagias collaborates with his wife Yeni to produce his local ouzo (Source: Instagram)
Lagias says he used Melbourne’s second lockdown to begin piecing together his family’s forgotten ouzo with the help of a distillery owner in Greece called John Lagias.
“…there’s not many ‘Lagais’’ around but I found one in Greece and we were chatting… his mum was involved in the original label,” he says.
“I gathered a fair bit of information on the recipe and I thought it was too good to not do something with because it doesn’t exist anymore in Greece.”
“The recipe that I’ve been using is as close to what I’ve gathered.”
He refined his product with expertise, flavour profiling and exact measurements during what he calls a “very creative period” before bottling and sending off the first batch of the ouzo in decades.
The original ‘Lagias’ ouzo has been spotted around Greece three decades after being discontinued (left) and Lagias has managed to find its earliest existing label from the 1800s (right) (Source: Supplied)
The ‘Lagias’ style of ouzo was launched in a town called Myriofito in eastern Thrace in 1773 and thrived for over a century, even after the Greece-Turkey population exchange of 1923 saw the brand relocate to Thessaloniki.
“…On the label, which I found, which goes back to the 1800s, mentions that the distillery was established in 1773,” he says.
“That’s how we know it went back that far.”
‘Lagias’ became a staple in Thessaloniki until it “disappeared” somewhere around the late 1980s, Aaron Lagais says, but his grandparents and father John left ‘Lagias’ behind when they set out for Melbourne in 1969.
“It wasn’t something that was at the front of [my dad’s] mind… [or] that he shared for many years,” Aaron says.
“When my dad came to Australia, I don’t think anyone was drinking ouzo, I think it was all VB’s [sic],” he jokes.
Mr. Lagias distilled his first batch of ouzo (far right) last October and has just recently began distributing it (Source: Instagram)
Aaron’s father John, now approaching his 70’s, parted the stories of Lagias ouzo onto Aaron and inspired him to revive their family’s legacy.
“My dad shared this story with me and inspired me to do it, otherwise I would have never known about the history,” Lagias says.
“Hopefully [my great-great grandfather] would taste it and think it’s amazing and a much cleaner, crisp taste as opposed to what they would have been drinking back then.”
He notes he uses traditional ingredients like nutmeg and cinnamon but fuses his ouzo with honey.
“I’ve tried to keep it really traditional,” he says.
There’s a lot more in store, including possibly exporting to European and Asian markets.
A vanilla, honey, and clove rakomelo spirit, as well as a tsipouro, is in the works.
“We’re playing around with those recipes at the moment and releasing at least one of the two in the next month,” he reveals.
NSW recorded 44 locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday. Of the 44 new community cases, 29 were either partially or fully exposed to the community.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said “that is the number that is really concerning us” and that “it tells us those numbers are going to go up” in coming days.
“This is the opposite of where we need or want the numbers to trend.”
Tightening of restrictions for Greater Sydney:
Following this news, Berejiklian announced further tightened restrictions for the areas already in lockdown, saying with the current vaccination levels “we will see thousands and thousands of hospitalisations and death” if the virus is allowed to circulate.
NSW recorded 44 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/Z7g7eyzT2d
From 5pm today (Friday, 9 July) the following additional restrictions will be in place:
Outdoor public gatherings limited to two people (excluding members of the same household);
People must stay in their Local Government Area or within 10kms of home for exercise and outdoor recreation, with no carpooling between non-household members;
Browsing in shops is prohibited, plus only one person per household, per day may leave the home for shopping;
Funerals limited to ten people in total (this will take effect from Sunday, 11 July).
The four reasons to leave your home remain in place:
Shopping for food or other essential goods and services (one person only);
Medical care or compassionate needs (only one visitor can enter another residence to fulfil carers’ responsibilities or provide care or assistance, or for compassionate reasons);
Exercise with no more than 2 (unless members of the same household);
Essential work, or education, where you cannot work or study from home.
Restrictions in regional NSW will remain unchanged.
Dimitris Lignadis, the former director of the National Theater who is in pre-trial detention facing a number of rape charges, has submitted a request to be released on condition that he remain under house arrest and wear an electronic monitoring device.
Appearing before an investigating magistrate on Thursday, the actor refused to respond to questions about two more rape allegations, presenting a written statement that refuted the new charges instead.
In his statement, Lignadis, who has already been charged with repeatedly raping two minors, denies the new allegations of raping a 17-year-old male seven years ago and an adult in 2018.
Plain-clothed policemen escort handcuffed well-known actor and director Dimitris Lignadis, center, to a magistrate’s office in Athens, Sunday, February 21, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis.
His lawyer, Alexis Kougias, said his client had filed an injunction against the investigator for prejudice.
Appealing for release, Lignadis stated he would bear the cost of the electronic monitoring device. Electronic monitoring is currently being piloted in Greece.
Plain clothed police officers escort handcuffed well-known actor and director, Dimitris Lignadis, center, as they leave a magistrate’s office in Athens, Sunday, February 21, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis.
A judicial council will now decide on whether the new rape charges should result in another order for additional pre-trial detention or whether it can be covered by the existing one. The maximum period of pre-trial detention is 18 months. If another warrant is issued against the actor, his maximum pre-trial detention could be extended to 24 months.
Lignadis was returned to Tripoli prison after the hearing.
Posting just hours after Olympic officials announced that the Games in Tokyo would go ahead without spectators following a surge in COVID cases, Kyrgios said the lack of fans influenced his decision.
“It’s been my dream to represent Australia at the Olympics and I know I may never get that opportunity again,” he wrote on Twitter.
“But I also know myself. The thought of playing in front of empty stadiums just doesn’t sit well with me. It never has.”
Kyrgios withdrew his name from selection from the Rio Olympics in 2016, after a feud with then-chef de mission Kitty Chiller, who said his behaviour suggested he did not “understand what it meant to be Australian.”
However, the Canberra native was picked for Tokyo after taking most of 2020 off due to the COVID pandemic.
Kyrgios was injured at Wimbledon.
He returned in the Australian Open, losing a five-setter to Dominic Thiem in the third round, before skipping the French Open in May.
Kyrgios showed some trademark form and shotmaking at Wimbledon before retiring hurt in his third-round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime with an abdominal injury.
In his statement, Kyrgios said he “wouldn’t want to take an opportunity away from a healthy Aussie athlete” ready to represent the country.
“I will also take all the time I need to get my body right. Good luck to all the Aussies competing and I’ll see you back on the court real soon,” he concluded.
The European Union will “never, ever” accept a two state deal on ethnically-split Cyprus, the head of its executive said on Thursday.
Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Cyprus, said the European Union spoke with one voice on the conflict, which has dragged on for decades and is a key hurdle in Turkey’s ambitions of joining the bloc.
“I want to repeat that we will never, ever accept a two state solution. We are firm on that and very united,” von der Leyen told a news conference.
Εγκρίθηκε από την @EU_Commission το Σχέδιο #Κύπρος_το_αύριο. Μια γενναία τομή που θα μεταμορφώσει τη χώρα και θα αλλάξει τη ζωή του κάθε πολίτη.🇪🇺🇨🇾
— Nicos Anastasiades (@AnastasiadesCY) July 8, 2021
Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup. The south is run by an internationally recognised government which represents the entire island in the European Union, while the north is a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognised only by Ankara.
United Nations-led efforts which predate 1974 events have failed to unite the island. The present stalemate is steeped in disagreements of the form unification could take – a union of two independent states advocated by a new Turkish Cypriot leadership, or as a loose federation advocated by Greek Cypriots representing Cyprus internationally.
Talks in Geneva earlier this year on the matter ended inconclusively.
Disagreement has also focused on competing claims over offshore energy reserves, a dispute connected to quarrels between Turkey and Greece, a key ally of the Greek Cypriots.
“Our neighbours have (an) interest in good bilateral relations. If this is the case, and we also have an interest in good bilateral relations, I want our neighbours to know that if they speak to one of our member states, like for example Cyprus, in whatever tone, they speak to the European Union,” von der Leyen said.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism in Greece, Sofia Zacharaki, expects a noticeably better tourist season in 2021, as she reveals in her exclusive interview with The Greek Herald.
Mrs Zacharaki states that the “key to the success of Greek tourism in the new era is the factor of special forms of tourism and the emphasis on the many and different experiences of our guests in Greece.”
At the same time, she sends a message of support to our community, emphasising that “Greece and Australia are countries with strong ties, thanks to the dynamic presence of the Greek diaspora.”
In a difficult season, due to the pandemic, we asked Mrs Zacharaki for her assessment of how Greek tourism will go.
“It is a fact that Greek tourism has opened, and it has opened safely just as we have repeatedly pledged that it will. Not only about when but also about how! On May 15, 2021 we set sail and we are on a course that we know has challenges,” she tells The Greek Herald.
“But we have a plan which is the outcome of words and actions. And this was not done by chance. Previously we have taken all the necessary measures to ensure an opening that is both dynamic and safe.
“And that is something that is recognised internationally. It is indicative that the World Tourism Organisation held its conference in Athens some time ago, sending from here the message of opening up tourism internationally.
“But also from the countries of origin of our tourists, our traditional and new markets, we receive the huge desire of everyone to visit Greece. And this desire, with concrete steps, we translate into practice.
“Our most important weapon is vaccination and we give our fellow citizens the opportunity to be vaccinated effortlessly and with availability throughout Greece.”
The Deputy Minister of Tourism in Greece, Sofia Zacharaki. Photo supplied.
The great opportunity of the Recovery Fund:
In the years of the pandemic, the challenges for the Ministry of Tourism have changed. Safety seems to be the main factor, which all travellers consider.
“The security factor is of paramount importance, and for this, as I told you, we have taken all the measures and have used all the weapons against the pandemic,” the Deputy Minister for Tourism says.
“We are very pleased that our country won the distinction for the safest start of the 2020 tourist season by the World Travel and Tourism Organisation.
“Of course there is no room for complacency and we remain on guard against the virus and its mutations. Past experience has taught us that this virus should never be underestimated.
“As ready as we are to welcome tourists, it is expected that in some countries there is increased caution, which has to do with the assessment of their own health situation, but also the mutations of the virus, such as ‘Delta’.”
In Greece, tourism plays an important role in the Greek economy. It was almost 1/4 of GDP before the pandemic. The question is what the Ministry of Tourism will now do to contribute to development.
“Indeed the Greek economy has an increased degree of dependence on tourism. Now the top priority is recovery from the blow of the pandemic. But we also look ahead, to capitalise on the many opportunities of the post-Covid era. We are opening up to new markets, building strong alliances with our international partners, enhancing the visibility of our destinations, as well as the green and digital dimension of Greek tourism,” she explains to The Greek Herald.
“The EOT campaign “All you want is Greece” this year started earlier than ever and will last longer than ever. With advertising campaigns abroad, we proceed methodically to expand markets and extend the tourist season!
“In addition to these, however, the key to the success of Greek tourism in the new era is the factor of special forms of tourism and the emphasis on the many and different experiences of our guests in Greece.
“That is why we are taking advantage of the great opportunity of the Recovery Fund, the largest support fund of European economies created to deal with the consequences of the pandemic. Greece was one of the first countries to submit its proposal with the program “Greece 2.0” and is one of the first countries to receive approval for the program from the European Union.
“We proposed and approved infrastructure projects for targeted specific forms of tourism, such as gastronomic, agritourism, mountain, diving, climbing, wellness. In fact, alternative forms of tourism are not only pillars of sustainable development, but also bases for the lengthening of the tourist season.”
One of the timeless themes of Greece in the tourism sector has to do with services. Tourism education is Mrs Zacharaki’s area of responsibility and we asked her to inform us what the Ministry is planning.
“Our belief is that the foundation of Tourism Development is tourism education and training. Through this, the new generation of Greek tourism is being prepared, and acquires the resources to respond to new developments,” she says.
“That is why we pay special attention, both to the reform of tourist education structures, as well as to the retraining and upgrading of skills (reskilling & upskilling), with programs for 20,000 tourism workers and unemployed, for which we have also submitted proposals for funding from the Recovery Fund.
“Note that it is the first time that such a broad program of retraining and upgrading of skills in tourism will be carried out in our country… At the same time, we are working out a plan for the operation of a foreign language tourism school in Greece.”
Australia, the community and the wish of good reparation:
Borders remain closed in Australia, where lockdowns now take endemic form. With more than 330,000 travellers arriving from Australia to Greece in 2019 we asked the Deputy Minister of Tourism if they are planning for a proposal to create a safe travel bubble between the two countries.
“Australia has indeed opted for a restrictive policy on travel to all foreign countries, with the exception of its neighbour New Zealand. Each country naturally has the self-evident right to take whatever health protection measures it deems necessary, depending on its epidemiological situation,” Mrs Zacharaki says.
“As far as we are concerned, it is our constant priority to inform all countries – and especially countries of direct tourist interest – in a timely and valid manner about all the elements of the epidemiological situation in Greece, which show a steady improvement in every aspect.
“We are convinced that when Australia decides to open travel for the rest of the world, Greece should, by reasonable necessity, be part of that opening.
“Greece and Australia are also countries with strong and vibrant ties, thanks to the dynamic presence of the Greek diaspora. And our country is completely safe, and it has long been arranged to open for potential travelers from Australia, with the general conditions of entry.
“We understand that each country makes decisions for the protection of its citizens and we continue our self-evident work of communicating everywhere in the world the work done for vaccination and the safe conditions restarting tourism in Greece.”
Mrs Zaharaki also sends a message to our community through The Greek Herald.
“I know very well that for the Greeks of the diaspora the trip to our country is not just another holiday trip, but a return to the ancestral home, in our common “Ithaca”,” she says.
“And the more the kilometers of the distance, the greater the “nostos,” the irresistible desire to return to the motherland – for those who were lucky enough to be born here or even visit the Greek land – but also the desire to get to learn more about it, for those who have never come.
“I chat very often with Greek women and Greeks from Australia through social networks and follow what is happening in the Greek community with great interest for years.
“I see firsthand the deep desire and impatience to be given the green light that will allow many to travel to Greece.
“The message I want to give you is clear: Greece is safe and awaits you all, as soon as Australia allows it, to enjoy our unparalleled summer and the wonderful seasons of colours, smells and authentic experiences in Greece, but above all, to live the unique experience of reconnecting with our place, our roots, our identity.
“And then, the bitterness of these years of forced deprivation of return, will multiply the joy of reunion, with our ancestral land.
“Until then, the Greek government and all citizens, we continue the great national effort so you can return to a country that improves its infrastructure, such as the 14 upgraded regional airports that were commissioned this year, resolutely advances investments such as at “Elliniko,” positively stars in European and international developments, makes digital advancements, aims for a green and sustainable development, implements social policies for all citizens without leaving anyone behind, without discrimination and exclusion.
“In a country that does not forget expatriate Greeks. As a relative of expatriate Evrytans in America I know well what unquenchable love for the country means, impatience for the return and desire to see Greece excel.”
