A petition made by Chanel Contos a few weeks ago, which has led to hundreds of young women speaking about their stories of sexual harassment, has led to the development of a revised sex education program.
According to The Daily Telegraph, federal Education Minister Alan Tudge praised traumatised schoolgirls for exposing a rape culture in some schools and said there will be changes made to the sex education system.
“Their voices have shone a light on an important issue and given it the attention that it deserves,” Mr Tudge said in a speech to the Menzies Research Centre yesterday.
“They have alerted us to situations that are completely unacceptable.
“We must all redouble our efforts to ensure that girls and young women are safe and respected in schools.”
Mr Tudge said the federal Education Department would roll out new teaching materials on consent and respectful relationships, through the Respect Matters program, in coming weeks.
Greek Australian, Chanel Contos.
Mr Tudge hailed the “bravery and strength” of hundreds of young women who have detailed allegations of rape, sexual assault and harassment, in an online campaign by young Sydney woman Chanel Contos.
Sex education will be improved to teach students about “respect and consent”, Mr Tudge said.
The new Minister also criticised teacher training, and called for more engineers and accountants to retrain as maths and science teachers.
“We are still not consistently attracting the best students into teaching,’’ he said.
“We need to find additional pathways to attract outstanding students to teaching, including talented mid-career professionals.
“I would love to see more engineers and accountants using their mathematical expertise to help us address our critical shortage of maths teachers.’’
Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken one step closer to securing a three-peat in Marseille after defeating Lucas Pouille 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the Open 13 Provence.
Tsitsipas defeated the former World No. 10 in 64 minutes, breaking Pouille’s serve four times. Tsitsipas won 86 per cent of his first-serve points and never found himself in trouble against the Frenchman, who had right elbow surgery last July.
“I figured [the tactics] out from early on and brought the top of my game,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview. “[I] haven’t played Lucas in a long time. Last time we practised in Australia [in 2019 and] I remember that year we both [made] the semis… It’s very unfortunate for him that he was injured for a long time. I think he deserves to be playing at the highest stage and his game has proved itself many times in the past.
Photo: ATP Tour
“I knew going into the match that I was expecting difficulties. He has experience on the Tour, he has played great players, had great victories. I was dealing with a player with experience and a player who reads the game pretty well and knows his strengths.”
Tsitsipas will next play another home favourite in Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who beat Brit Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4.
“I’ve played Pierre in the past. He has a very difficult game. He comes to the net, serves pretty well,” Tsitsipas said.
“I’m expecting a different style than the one I got today. He will be very aggressive. I think that’s something that I have to expect and he goes for his shots.”
Tsitsipas said facing Top 10 players adds some increased pressure, but the Greek has recently been feeling well on court.
“[I’m] just trying to stay humble, it doesn’t matter where I’m standing in the [FedEx] ATP Rankings. Every opponent is a serious task. Each one of them has played matches in the past against top players and it’s rare that you find players without experience playing at this level,” Tsitsipas said.
Extensive clashes broke out between police and protesters Thursday in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki, after authorities ended an occupation by students and other demonstrators at the city’s main university building.
Protesters threw firebombs at police after street clashes erupted near the city center. Police responded with tear gas and made multiple arrests. No injuries were reported.
The occupation, which had lasted for about three weeks, was to protest a decision by the centre-right government to start police patrols of university campuses.
Despite lockdown restrictions, dozens of protest marches have taken place in Greek cities over the past month against the prospect of police gaining access to campuses. Police said approximately 8,000 people attended Thursday’s rally in the northern Greek city.
Riot police detain a man during clashes in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
A Greek police officer was seriously injured in the head during clashes on Tuesday evening where some 5,000 people in Athens against police violence.
The demonstrators threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at a police station and police responded with tear gas and water cannon, AFP reported. Around a dozen dustbins were set on fire, prompting firefighters to intervene.
Police said the injured officer had been rushed to hospital, while some protesters had been arrested even before the clashes broke out for possession of Molotov cocktails and iron bars.
Greek composer and lyricist Takis Mousafiris has tragically passed away after a six month battle with cancer, his family announced on Thursday.
The composer had recovered from COVID-19 only one week prior to his death, but was defeated by cancer that had plagued him for the past six months.
Mousafiris is known for creating many musical careers in Greece, including that of Pitsa Papadopoulou, Dimitris Mitropanos and Stratos Dionysiou.
“If it were not for Mousafiris, I would be just a singer that maybe no one knew me today,” said Pitsa Papadopoulou, acknowledging how decisive Mousafiris was for her career.
Takis Mousafiris (left) with Giorgos Margaritis. (Photo by Facebook/ Giorgos Margaritis)
Mousafiris was born in Ioannina and at a young age moved to Athens where he made his first musical works. He started out as a folk singer and performed in taverns in the Athens suburb of Plaka.
By the 1980s, he was one of the greatest and most sought after composers and lyricists in laika, popular Greek music.
Some of his biggest songs included ‘Tell Me One More Song’, ‘The Taxi Driver’, ‘I, the Stranger’, ‘Do Something to Make Me Miss the Train’, and Tell Me Where They Sell Hearts’.
The platform in which expatriates will be able to register and vote from their place of residence is in the “final stages” of its full operation, revealed in an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald the Minister of Interior of Greece, Makis Voridis.
Only details remain, according to the Minister, who emphasises that the “process will be simple, transparent and inviolable.”
Although several expatriate organisations in Australia have also called for improvements to the expatriate voting bill, the Home Secretary says: “At the moment there are no political correlations to improve the existing arrangement.”
Mr Voridis stated that the campaign to inform the expatriates about the details of the electoral process will begin soon, while he categorically rejects the possibility of early elections, clarifying that: “The Government will exhaust its constitutional mandate.”
Mr Voridis, who in the recent reshuffle of the Government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis took over the sensitive Ministry of Interior, estimates that: “Greece has been an example of managing the health crisis for many other countries that have stronger health systems.”
The Minister also talked about the 200th anniversary of the Revolution and sent a message to the Greek community of Australia, which as he says: “is famous for its special love for its motherland and to whom Greece is grateful.”
Greek Minister of Interior, Makis Voridis.
Our interview with the Minister of Interior began with the timeless request of the Greek community, about the bill for the vote of Greeks abroad.
“The vote of the expatriates was a pre-election commitment of the New Democracy Party, it was approved by the Greek parliament with the vote of 288 MPs and in the next elections it will be implemented,” Mr Voridis stated.
“The platform is already in the phase of test operation and it remains to complete its interface with the electronic services through which the necessary data will be extracted for the identification of the registered ones, therefore in the next period of time it will be fully operational.
“Greeks who are registered on the electoral roll, have a permanent residence abroad and can prove that in the last 35 years they have resided in Greece for two consecutive years have the right to vote. The procedure is simple, transparent and inviolable and comes to facilitate Greeks who wish to vote from their place of residence.”
Recently, publications of the Greek press make different, divergent estimates for the number of expatriates who are expected to register on this platform. From 200,000 to 800,000, as written in a recent article in the newspaper “Ta Nea.” The Ministry of Interior, through the Minister, does not wish to make any assessment at this time.
“I do not want to get into this process. I have read the relevant estimates that you mention, which do not come from the Ministry of Interior, however any prediction at the moment is quite risky given the fact that no one knows how many Greeks abroad will choose to take advantage of this opportunity and finally exercise their right to vote remotely.
“Once the platform is fully operational, we will be able to talk about a clearer picture with tangible evidence in our hands,” said Mr Voridis, who is aware that expatriate organizations, including in Australia, are calling for change.
Recently, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a teleconference with the expatriate businessman, Andrew Liveris, stated that the Greek-Australians – due to the time difference – will be the first to vote in the next elections.
“Now, regarding the issue of early elections that you are raising, this has already been answered by the Prime Minister himself who has clarified that the Government will exhaust its constitutional mandate,” Mr Voridis said.
“The operation of the platform, moreover, was launched from the moment the bill for the vote of Greeks abroad was passed and it was time for its implementation. Therefore, I do not see the slightest connection to the fact that we are activating the platform with the unfounded scenarios of early elections circulating inside and outside the country,” he stressed.
Greece continues to suffer from the pandemic, although as the numbers show, it manages the crisis better than other European countries.
“There is no possibility of early elections,” says the Greek Interior Minister.
“Our Government, from the first moment that the pandemic broke out in our country, was placed in a state of maximum readiness, activating all the necessary means to ensure Public Health and to support the economy. Greece has been an example of crisis management for many other countries that have stronger health systems and proof of this is that none of our fellow citizens was deprived of appropriate care when needed. Of course we do not triumph, but we continue to implement the necessary policies in order to mitigate, as far as possible, the effects of a global pandemic”, the Interior Minister stated.
The plan for the economy and gratitude to the Greeks abroad:
Greeks abroad are concerned whether Greece will be able to stand on its own two feet after almost a decade of economic recession.
“It is true that the economy, not only of our country but of the whole planet has suffered significant consequences due to the pandemic, however I would like to point out that the good management that the Government has shown in handling the country’s finances all this time, supporting all those affected industries, has justified us in full and enables us to continue to provide the necessary support for as long as required,” Mr Voridis said.
“I would like to point out, however, that Greece is not alone in all this. It is a member of a large European family and a coordinated plan is already underway so that, when this adventure is over, we can all work together to reorganize the European and consequently the Greek economy.
“Greeks abroad have never stopped transmitting Greek culture. They maintain our customs and traditions unchanged through the expatriate communities and I am convinced that despite the obstacles created by the pandemic, they will proudly participate, from all over the world, together with all Greeks, in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution”, stated Mr Voridis, and in conclusion he stressed that:
“The Greeks abroad are a second Greece, intertwined with elements such as diligence, ingenuity, professional consistency, excellence, philanthropy, patriotism. It is a pillar of preservation and continuity of our history and tradition, a lever for strengthening relations with the homeland and the cradle of new prospects for the reconstruction of the Greek economy.
“Undoubtedly, the adventure in which the whole of humanity and Hellenism as a whole are going through, tests our endurance and our faith. We have all been obliged to deprive our loved ones and especially the Greeks of Australia, who are famous for their special love for their motherland and to whom we are grateful for the prestige they have given to Greece with the virtuous and moral life they live and did not have the opportunity to visit it.
“I hope that this suffering will end soon and that we will meet again in our homeland.”
Two Afghan youths were handed down five year prison sentences in court on Wednesday for starting a fire that burnt down the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos.
Nearly 13,000 migrants were displaced after Greece’s largest migrant camp went up in flames in the middle of the night on September 9, 2020.
The two Afghans were 17 years old at the time of their arrest, claiming that they had nothing to do with the fire and were not at the camp when it broke out. The Lesvos court handed down the sentences after a six-hour session, the local bar association told AFP.
The group said there had been a “lack of credible evidence” presented and that it would work to overturn the verdict on appeal.
“While we are disappointed with today’s result, things could have been much worse for the two young men,” the group said in a statement.
“The arson conviction alone could have carried a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.”
The trial of four youths detained in connection to the incident is pending.
Tensions among locals and migrants became heightened following the destruction of Moria. Police reportedly blocked migrants’ entry into the villages as they slept on highway streets.
Georgios Kountouriotis was a well-known Greek ship-owner and politician during the 1821 Greek Revolution and the reign of Otto.
On this day in 1858, he passed away and to mark the day we take a look back at his incredible life achievements.
Early Life:
Georgios Kountouriotis was born in Hydra in 1782 and was the son of the merchant Andreas Kountouriotis and Maria Kokkini, daughter of the rich merchant Lazaros Kokkini.
The real surname of his family, which was of Albanian origin, was Zervas. “Kountouriotis” was a nickname which eventually prevailed as a family surname.
After the assassination of his father in 1799, Georgios, together with his older brother Lazarus, engaged in trade and shipping. Leading up to the Greek Revolution of 1821, their family owned half of the merchant ships of Hydra and he was considered the richest Greek of his time.
Support of the Greek Revolution:
Like most Hydra shipowners, Georgios considered the outbreak of the Greek Revolution premature and dangerous. However, when the people of the island revolted on March 27, 1821, he was forced to join the short-lived power established by Captain Antonis Oikonomou and to allocate large sums and his ships for the needs of the Struggle.
Georgios Kountouriotis was a well-known Greek ship-owner and politician.
Georgios, although lagging behind in leadership skills over his brother Lazarus, excelled in politics. He participated as a proxy of Hydra in the 2nd National Assembly of Astros (1823), in the 3rd National Assembly of Troizina (1827) and in the 4th National Assembly of Argos (1829).
He appeared on the political scene at the end of 1823, when civil wars broke out between the Greek revolutionaries. At the urging of Alexandros Mavrokordatos, Georgios became a member of the new Executive (government) on December 19 and on January 6, 1824, he officially assumed the presidency.
Using his money, Georgios gained substantial superiority over his rivals. On June 12, 1824, after bloody fratricidal conflicts, his government settled in Nafplio. Much of the money from the loans was wasted in the civil strife, in meeting the demands of his political friends, as well as members of his family.
During his presidency, few measures were taken to strengthen the rebel areas. On the contrary, in 1824 the revolution in Crete was neutralised by the Turkish-Egyptian troops, while in the same year Kasos and Psara were destroyed.
After Ibrahim landed in Methoni (February 26, 1825), instead of appointing an experienced soldier (Karaiskakis, Kolokotronis, etc.) as commander of the army that had been sent to Egypt, Georgios named one of his naval compatriots, Captain Kyriakos Skourtis, instead.
Georgios Kountouriotis.
Georgios himself, with a ridiculous procession and oriental rhythm, set out for Messinia to be close to the chiefs and to coordinate their actions.
After the catastrophic defeat of the Greeks by Ibrahim at Kremmidi (April 7, 1825), Georgios returned to Nafplio and faced general outcry. After Papaflessas’ sacrifice in Maniaki (May 20, 1825), he was forced to release Kolokotronis, who was the only one able to face Ibrahim.
Georgios was also particularly criticised for the inaction of his government during the last siege of Messolonghi and its inability to supply even the most basic guard of the city. Georgios was forced to resign on April 12, 1826 and to withdraw to Hydra dissatisfied.
During the Third National Assembly in Troizina (March 19 – May 5, 1827), Georgios opposed the election of Ioannis Kapodistrias. However, after the arrival of the Governor in Greece on January 23, 1828, he was appointed adviser of the Economy of the Panhellenic. It was a position he did not hold for long because he soon joined the opposition.
After the Liberation and Death:
On August 14, 1829, Georgios was appointed by Kapodistrias a member of the newly formed 27-member Senate but did not accept his new position. He took an active part in the opposition actions against Kapodistrias in 1831 and led the apostasy of Hydra.
After the assassination of the Governor (September 27, 1831), he was appointed by the Senate a member of the Administrative Committee, which consisted of representatives of all political parties, but resigned in August 1832.
In the years of Otto, Georgios was appointed vice-president of the Council of State and followed a more moderate policy.
On March 8, 1848, he was appointed by Otto as chairman of the cabinet (Prime Minister) and took over the Ministry of the Navy. His government, which was essentially a coalition of the French and Russian parties, had to deal with a series of internal uprisings and strained relations with the Ottoman Empire.
Georgios remained in power until October 15, 1848, when he resigned, accusing the court environment of interfering in his work.
Bitter, he retired to Hydra, where he died on March 13, 1858, at the age of 76. Georgios belonged to the politicians who had entered the revolutionary struggle of the Greeks rich and came out poorer.
After his death, an honorary pension had to be given to his needy family.
For a Greek Australian boy of only 12 years of age, Vaughn Arambatzis is full of ambitious ideas and he’s not letting anyone stop him from achieving them.
What’s his idea for this year? To raise $1000 for the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home by collecting cans and bottles and recycling them through the NSW Government’s Return and Earn Scheme.
Vaughn’s connection to the Home goes back to last year when he decided to support the organisation as part of a ‘Shining Our Light’ project run by his school, St Patrick’s College in Strathfield.
Vaughn Arambatzis is full of ambitious ideas. Photo supplied.
“We adopted a dog and we loved her a lot, but she kept on escaping. We had to give her back and we were devastated. So when the time came around to do something for the community, I thought about that and started collecting bottles to raise money for the Home,” Vaughn, who lives in Connells Point, tells The Greek Herald.
At the time, Vaughn raised $500 after his mum, Barbara, posted his plan on community Facebook pages and garnered attention from the local community, including Member for Oatley, Mark Coure MP, Georges River Councillor Sandy Grekas, and the Kogarah Cougars Junior Rugby League Football Club.
“In the end, he collected 3000 bottles and there was $200 worth of donations,” Vaughn’s mum, Barbara, says proudly.
Vaughn with Member for Oatley, Mark Coure MP. Photo supplied.
With such a successful campaign last year, it’s really no surprise Vaughn decided to do it all again this year. But will his previous achievement make it harder to collect enough bottles and cans a second time? ‘Definitely not,’ says the Year 7 student.
“So many bottles have already been dropped off. We haven’t counted them yet, but I’d say there’s at least 500 outside on our front yard right now. It’s really messy,” Barbara adds.
“Our friend Peter Panopoulos, from Advanced Building and Maintenance, has donated a cage to us and we’re going to fill it with the bottles and cans. Each time it fills, Peter will be taking the load to the recycler.”
Vaughn donating money to the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home last year. Photo supplied.
But there’s still a long way to go. Barbara says they’re looking for more people to drop off their bottles and cans because ‘500 bottles is only $50.’
“This year we’re looking for cafes, businesses and people in the local community to donate… alot of Greeks are generous!” Vaughn says cheekily.
“Feel free to drop them off or organise a collection with us and we can come around and collect it.”
If you would like to help Vaughn achieve his goal, you can email barbaraarambatzis@gmail.com or call Barbara on 0434 443 970.
The City of Randwick in Sydney will kick off its celebrations for the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution this year by displaying special banners across the community from March 21.
The four metre banner, which is covered in the Greek flag, the words ‘200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution’ and the council logo, will be flying proudly for two weeks.
This exciting decision comes after proud Greek Australian and Randwick City Councillor, Alexandra Luxford, passed a motion at a council meeting on February 23, 2021.
“We wanted to do this to recognise the big contribution the Greek community has made to Randwick City Council over the years,” Ms Luxford tells The Greek Herald.
“It’s something we should be proud of as Greek Australians.”
The Councillor goes on to say that the public’s response to the banners has so far been ‘extremely positive.’
“More people are getting to know about it now and everyone is chuffed. They’re excited the banners will be flying around the city for a few weeks,” she says.
As part of Ms Luxford’s motion, Randwick City Council will also raise the Greek flag and hold a civic reception to mark the bicentenary.
If you would like to attend the flag raising ceremony, it will be held on March 25 at the Randwick Town Hall from 10am.
Shot in 2016 and released in 2019, the dystopian flick Utopia by award winning Greek Australian filmmaker, Kosta Nikas, has been officially selected by Omeleto for its online world premiere on Friday, March 12.
Home of the next generation of great filmmakers, Sundance winners, Oscar nominees and critically-acclaimed filmmakers from every genre, Omeleto boasts over 5 million subscribers across its social media platforms with tens of millions of viewers each month.
Greek Australian filmmaker, Kosta Nikas. Photo supplied.
“We’ve completed our run on the international festival circuit, so are now thrilled to sign the deal with Omeleto and share it online with film enthusiasts around the world,” writer-director, Kosta Nikas, says.
Utopia has taken out two international awards and one nomination, whilst also receiving a dozen official selections at top tier film festivals including at invitation by the world’s prestigious UTOPIALES sci-fi festival in France as one of the 35 best sci-fi films for 2020.
A screenshoot from the film ‘Utopia.’ Photo supplied.
Although conceived over a decade ago, the underlying themes in Utopia are today more than ever relevant, making it a film for this zeitgeist.
“You all experienced the pandemic, now it’s your time to see what our future might be like” says producer Aaron Bush.
Unlike other dystopian stories where the Government is ‘Big Brother’ engaging in control and power via a vertical hierarchical relationship with its citizens, Nikas also went horizontal!
A screenshoot from the film ‘Utopia.’ Photo supplied.
“Today, through mobile technology, WE are each other’s ‘Big Brother’, each other’s surveillance and snitches! In Utopia I take it a step further by showing that citizens are incentivised to be complicit with the State, through a commission payment system. This is a far more dangerous society, where we are our own enemy. You can fight an external enemy, but how do you fight yourself?” Nikas explains.
