Victorian Liberal MPs have voted to replace Brad Battin with Jess Wilson as party leader ahead of the next state election, making her the first woman to lead the Coalition in the state’s history.
Wilson, a first-term MP for Kew, said her priorities include controlling the budget, tackling crime, improving healthcare access, and making home ownership more attainable.
“I will work every day for Victorians to make sure at the next election they have a clear and credible alternative to vote for that gives them hope for the future of Victoria,” she said.
The leadership spill passed 19 votes to 13, and Wilson was elected unopposed. Deputy Leader Sam Groth retained his position, defeating David Southwick 17 votes to 15.
Photo: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui.
Battin, who had been leader for less than a year, said he was proud of his work and would continue to support the team.
“The Victorian Liberal Party now has a very clear path to go towards the next election,” he said.
The leadership challenge followed a shadow cabinet reshuffle in which Wilson was promoted to shadow treasurer.
Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley praised Battin’s efforts and welcomed Wilson as a “fresh, next-generation approach” for Victoria.
Deputy Premier Ben Carroll called the change a “jockey swap” and defended Premier Jacinta Allan as the experienced leader ahead of the election.
Wilson left the party room after the vote without taking questions, promising a full press conference later.
The family of 67-year-old grandfather Frank Dimos has renewed calls for accountability after he died in 2015 from an undiagnosed aortic dissection just hours after being sent home with painkillers by the late Dr Con Perkoulidis.
They have spent a decade fighting for justice, only to discover there is no legal recourse for patients treated by retired doctors who lack indemnity insurance.
Dimos’ step-daughter, Maria Roiniotis, told The Sydney Morning Herald the family is devastated that “there’s nothing else we can do,” as Perkoulidis – who died last year – was uninsured, bankrupt, and had a long record of Medicare fraud.
Although the family won a default judgment in 2022, they cannot claim compensation because Perkoulidis failed to notify his insurer and did not qualify for the government run-off scheme for retired doctors.
Lawyer Emily Hart confirmed the insurer denies coverage for the claim.
Perkoulidis had previously been ordered to repay $392,154.60 following a professional services review that found fabricated records, improper billing and repeated breaches of Medicare rules.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr George Dimitroulis is facing legal action from multiple former patients after issues arose with the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) replacement system he invented and supplied through his company, Maxoniq.
Patients allege they were not informed of Dimitroulis’ financial stake in the implant, a potential conflict of interest under Medical Board of Australia guidelines.
Bree, one of 11 patients interviewed, said: “There was never a mention of that.” Amy, another patient, described severe complications after her surgery, saying, “I was living on liquids. Everything tasted like metal and it just felt like I was being poisoned from the inside out.”
Chloe required a third operation to replace loose screws, while Jodie, who had surgery in 2018, continues to suffer severe nerve pain.
World-leading TMJ surgeon Dr Gary Bouloux noted that Dimitroulis’ implant has a high complication rate compared with other devices.
“For the average patient who hasn’t had a prior joint replacement… I’ve never seen a screw failure,” he said, while Dimitroulis’ 2021 study admitted a 13.9 per cent complication rate over five years.
Legal action is underway, with Amy among 13 patients represented by Slater and Gordon for medical negligence. Bree said the surgery left her unable to tolerate noise, forcing her to move from inner-city Melbourne.
“I actually do feel that my life ended that day of the surgery,” she said.
Dimitroulis retired from surgical practice in 2024 and currently holds non-practising registration.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) previously found his conduct amounted to “unsatisfactory professional performance” and posed “an ongoing risk to the health and safety of the public,” ordering education and an audit of his practice while allowing him to continue operating at the time.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) confirmed the implant system was approved under ARTG 276176, with 21 device incident reports received, and a 2021 hazard alert issued following consultation with Maxoniq.
Epworth HealthCare stated Dimitroulis retired from surgical practice there in 2024, and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne confirmed he had not worked there since 2020.
Patients and legal representatives continue to pursue claims, highlighting concerns over transparency, device safety, and conflicts of interest in private medical practice.
McLaren Vale wine producer Aramis Vineyards has entered administration with debts exceeding $1 million to the ATO, as global wine consumption declines and the lingering effects of Chinese tariffs and Covid hospitality closures take their toll.
Unsecured creditors are owed nearly $1.5 million, including $1.2 million to the tax office.
George Tsiakiridis, chief financial officer for the Flourentzou family, said the collapse was caused by “recent unprofitable trading caused by industry wide issues and the resultant build up of inventory.”
He added, “Covid closing venues and restaurants directly impacted our ability to wholesale, while China bans and tariff wars impacted our ability to export. A reduction in consumer consumption … has created a market of oversupply and build up of inventory. I think these are issues affecting many in the industry.”
Despite entering administration, Aramis Vineyards continues to trade while the Flourentzou family prepares a deed of company arrangement proposal for creditors.
“There is no intention to wind up the business,” Tsiakiridis said. He also confirmed that the family’s Distinctive Homes construction business is not affected.
Founded in 1998 by owner Lee Flourentzou, Aramis Vineyards owns 26ha of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon near Aldinga, producing award-winning wines including its flagship The Governor shiraz.
The collapse follows similar challenges in the region, including Simon Hackett Wines’ liquidation and Maxwell Wines’ acquisition of Fox Creek Wines after its $10 million collapse.
The first creditors meeting for Aramis Vineyards is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19.
Opposition sport spokeswoman Eleni Petinos has criticised the Minns Government over what she described as an opaque and flawed approach to two contentious golf-course projects, warning parliament that “the process isn’t open, it’s not transparent, it’s not credible”.
Her comments come amid escalating pressure on the government to release the business case for its plan to cut Moore Park Golf Course in half to create a new 20-hectare park.
Despite repeated requests since February, Labor has refused to release the documents, citing cabinet-in-confidence.
A motion to censure Government Leader Penny Sharpe passed on Thursday, with Labor ordered to provide the papers by Monday.
The $50 million project will reduce Moore Park Golf Course to nine holes from mid-next year, even though the facility currently earns $17 million annually and funds up to half of Greater Sydney Parklands’ operational budget.
Auburn MP Lynda Voltz condemned the plan as a “flawed process” and tabled a petition of 14,000 signatures opposing it.
While Lands Minister Steve Kamper warned cemetery space will run out by 2031, he said “at this stage, no decision has been reached”.
Speaking in parliament, Petinos questioned the government’s repeated targeting of golf courses, saying: “We all need access to cemeteries. But why this golf course? And why golf again?”
Working Port Coalition spokesman and Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou has called on the NSW Government to reveal its plans for Glebe Island, warning that ongoing silence is “contributing to a sense of crisis” for operators relying on the port.
Glebe Island has been under review for more than a year as the government considers converting the site into high-rise housing near the future Bays metro station.
Despite receiving a report by former Treasury secretary Michael Schur months ago, no decision has been announced.
The Coalition has proposed a hybrid model retaining port operations on a smaller footprint alongside new housing, a compromise Nicolaou said would allow the government to deliver “thousands of new homes while retaining existing industries and maritime activities”.
He added, “We have reached a crisis point where existing operators need certainty about the future of the port.”
Reports have highlighted Glebe Island’s significance to defence and freight, with the Port Authority of NSW warning closure would add 226,000 truck movements to supply Sydney.
Nicolaou also rejected claims the site could meaningfully ease the housing crisis, arguing it would instead form a “millionaire’s enclave”.
“The Government needs to engage and be open with the public as to what it plans to do at Glebe Island,” he said.
“It can’t be that hard for the government to say it is seriously considering the hybrid solution.”
Administrators are assessing offers for Nikolaos Solomos’ debt-ridden Derrimut 24:7 Gym chain, with any buyer expected to cover all staff superannuation entitlements.
HM Advisory, appointed after Solomos placed three core companies into administration on November 5, has since taken control of six additional Derrimut businesses.
According to The Age, a source familiar with the process said only bids guaranteeing super payments would be considered.
The collapse marks a sharp reversal for Solomos, who founded Derrimut in 2010 and last year boasted the business had loads of members and plans for 300 gyms by 2030.
Despite 25 sites across Victoria and South Australia, Derrimut was overwhelmed by debts to the ATO, staff, landlords and suppliers, prompting lender BizCap to appoint receivers over all assets the day after the administration.
Gyms continue trading, though at least two are expected to close.
An investigation in September revealed the business struggled to meet basic expenses while also funding luxury cars for staff and significant allowances for Solomos and his family.
Derrimut is believed to owe more than $30 million, including an estimated $15.4 million in tax debts, unpaid superannuation and penalties.
Team Greece will take on a high-profile field at the 2026 United Cup after being drawn into Group E in Perth, where Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will face Great Britain and tournament debutants Japan.
The draw places Greece alongside a refreshed British squad featuring world No.10 Jack Draper and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, as well as Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and 2019 Junior Wimbledon winner Shintaro Mochizuki.
The United Cup, a mixed team event staged in Perth and Sydney from 2–11 January 2026, confirmed 18 nations across six groups at the official draw, attended in Perth by Casey Dellacqua and Matt Ebden.
Perth will also host defending champions and top seeds Team USA in Group A, along with Spain and Argentina, while third seeds Italy head Group C against France and Switzerland.
However, Group E is expected to command strong local attention as Greece returns with its two top stars.
The tournament schedule will be released on Tuesday, November 18.
Thousands marched through central Athens on Monday, November 17, to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Polytechnic Uprising, concluding three days of commemorative and remembrance events at the National Technical University of Athens.
Commemorative speeches were delivered earlier at the historic campus, where the gates had opened on Saturday for documentary screenings and lectures on key figures of the uprising.
Students and university associations visited throughout the weekend. The gates reopened Monday at 09:00 and are scheduled to close at 13:00, when the annual march to the US Embassy will begin.
The blood-stained flag carried by student protesters during the anti-dictatorship revolt led the march after joining the main procession.
Photo: Tatiana Bolari / EUROKINISSI.
During the roll call, organisers announced plans to erect a bust honouring Giannis Kailis, an art student considered the “25th victim” of the uprising.
Student groups and party youth organisations converged on the city centre from separate gathering points.
More than 5,000 police officers were deployed along the route, with authorities using drones for surveillance and reporting four arrests and 27 detentions during preventive checks.
Political leaders, including President of the Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas and Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis, laid wreaths earlier in the day.
Several metro stations, including Omonia, Syntagma, Evangelismos, Megaro Mousikis and Panepistimio, were closed on police orders, with additional closures set for 14:00.
Bus and traffic restrictions remained in place as security tightened across downtown Athens.
The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) has celebrated another hugely successful return of the Greek Fest at Brighton-Le-Sands, where thousands filled Bay Street on Sunday, November 16, for a vibrant day dedicated to Hellenic culture.
From morning until late evening, Greek Fest at Bay Street transformed the beachfront precinct into a lively hub of music, traditional dancing, delicious food, stalls and cultural experiences.
GOCNSW was thrilled to welcome the steady stream of visitors who embraced the festivities. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The event marks the second year since the festival’s return to the area – the very place where the Greek Festival of Sydney was before expanding to Darling Harbour.
GOCNSW was thrilled to welcome the steady stream of visitors who embraced the festivities.
“This has been a resounding success, as you can see around you,” GOCNSW President Harry Danalis said during the official ceremony. “We are so pleased that so many of you came to enjoy the day with us.”
There was a traditional smoke ceremony.Harry Danalis.
Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris, shared her heartfelt gratitude.
“To see the Greek flag and thousands of Greeks here – I am not only proud, but I am also truly moved. This festival doesn’t happen without you,” Ms Karteris said.
Nia Karteris.
The Consul General of Greece in Sydney, George Skemperis, commended the community for preserving its identity while thriving in Australia.
“You are a successful case of integration. You can be, at the same time, wonderful Australians and wonderful Greeks,” he noted, emphasising that events like this allow everyone to experience “the Greek way of living.”
The Consul General of Greece in Sydney, George Skemperis.NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper.
NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper highlighted the strength of the local Greek community.
“There are probably four generations of Greeks celebrating here today, and that is a testament to how strongly the community holds onto its culture,” Minister Kamper said.
Representing the NSW Opposition Leader, MP Eleni Petinos said the Greek Fest showcased “why Australia is such a multicultural community and why we believe it is the most successful multicultural country in the world.”
Eleni Petinos MP.Matt Thistlethwaite MP.Federal MP for Barton Ash Ambihaipahar.
Federal MP for Kingsford Smith Matt Thistlethwaite called the event “a celebration of all the wonderful contributions Hellenic culture has given us,” while Federal MP for Barton Ash Ambihaipahar praised the strong participation of young Greek Australians.
Bayside Mayor Edward McDougall also expressed his appreciation for the overwhelming turnout.
“At Bayside Council, we are incredibly proud of our vibrant Greek community. This is the heart of Greek hospitality in Sydney,” the Mayor said.
Further words of support were offered by Anastasios Polychronis, Commander of the Greek Military Academy, and Kieran McKenna of Bank of Sydney, both acknowledging the festival’s cultural significance.
Anastasios Polychronis, Commander of the Greek Military Academy.Kieran McKenna of Bank of Sydney.Bayside Mayor Edward McDougall.
A special thanks to young voices of the community
A heartfelt acknowledgment was extended to Anja Ribbeck, student of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Afternoon School, for beautifully reciting both National Anthems during the official ceremony.
Her confident and respectful performance was warmly received by dignitaries and the crowd, symbolising the strength of the next generation carrying Hellenic culture forward.
Anja Ribbeck, student of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Afternoon School, recited both National Anthems during the official ceremony.
All the official guests.
A day filled with entertainment and community spirit
The entertainment program was packed from start to finish.
Dance performances from a wide range of cultural groups captivated audiences, including the GOCNSW Greek Dancing School, the Cyprus Community of NSW Performing Group, the Kogarah School of Greek Dancing, the Kalymnian Association of NSW Dance Group, the Greek Community of Newcastle Hellenic Dancers, the Pontian Association of NSW “Pontoxeniteas” Dance Group, the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW, the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney, Sydney Sizmos Performers, the Lemnian Association of NSW “Maroula” Dancing Group, and Nickolaos Vasilas from My Zeibekiko journey, each showcasing the richness and diversity of Hellenic tradition.
Dance performances from a wide range of cultural groups captivated audiences.
Throughout the day, crowds were energised by sets from DJ Georgie D, DJ Maestro, and performances by Thanasis Bouzouki Entertainment and Iho Nyx, keeping the atmosphere festive and lively from morning onwards.
Maria Maroulis shines as the day’s headline highlight
The festival reached its peak with the highly anticipated performance by Maria Maroulis, whose evening concert was a standout highlight of the entire event. Her powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence brought the crowd together for an unforgettable finale.
GOCNSW extends its warmest thanks to all attendees, performers, volunteers and partners who helped make Greek Fest at Bay Street a true celebration of Hellenism – and a proud reminder of the Greek community’s enduring spirit in New South Wales.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos
