Victoria’s Lefkadian Brotherhood has revived its youth sub-committee this year, and Lefkadian Youth President Calista Mitsas has assured The Greek Herald they’re here to stay.
On Saturday, June 13, Lefkadian Youth held its first large-scale tavern night, complete with all the trimmings of a memorable event: music from all regions of Greece, raffle prizes donated by Greek Australian businesses, Greek dancing until the early hours of the morning, food, drinks, and, of course, digital cameras to capture moments Y2K-style.
Tavern attendee Nasia said the event gave her the “opportunity to share with people our culture and traditions while having a great time with everyone.”
While the Lefkadian Brotherhood has attempted to revive a youth group several times over the past 30 years, most recently in 2021, those efforts were not sustained. Calista has been a driving force behind the group’s latest revival and growing presence within the Greek Australian youth community.
“I just want people to feel like they have a community that is behind them, a community that makes them feel welcome and for them to feel confident in their Greek heritage as a whole,” Calista said about her aim for the group.
Victoria’s Lefkadian Youth returns, determined to build a lasting legacy
Earlier this year, when attending a youth event hosted by another club, Calista noticed many of the people around her were Lefkadian but lacked a dedicated youth group through which to connect. She approached the Lefkadian Brotherhood with her idea and, over the last few months, has worked alongside committee members Kostas Franes, Jana Papas, Cassandra Politis, Christina Vlahos, Ilias Vlahos, Christina Damigos and Nasia Karles to establish Lefkadian Youth.
Reflecting on her initial motivation for starting the group, Calista said: “A lot of groups can be really intimidating, [but with] a new group, everybody is new coming in. I wanted everyone to feel as comfortable as possible and for everyone to know they’re on the same wavelength.”
While Calista was not deeply immersed in Lefkadian culture before launching Lefkadian Youth, she has been determined to learn the many intricate elements that make Lefkadian culture unique, including its customs, dances, dialect and history.
Lefkadian Youth will continue working closely with the Brotherhood through monthly club lunches and other key events, while also branching out with youth-focused initiatives such as coffee catch-ups, dance classes, educational experiences centred on Lefkadian culture, and collaborations with other region-specific clubs.
“We want to keep engaging with the community, in particular other youth groups,” Calista said, emphasising the youth committee’s desire to work with other young Greek Australians.
The recent tavern night attracted 80 young people from across the Greek Australian community, a reflection of the group’s mission to create a welcoming space that includes youth from all Greek community clubs.
“That’s the beauty of the Greek community, we all like to collaborate and do things as one parea,” Calista said.
Lefkadian Youth acknowledges that many young Greek Australians may feel less connected to specific regions of Greece than previous generations. The committee sees the group as a space where Lefkadian culture can be celebrated while remaining inclusive and open to all.
“It’s becoming less about where you’re from and more about general community,” Calista said.
Conductor George Ellis thought he was signing up for a run of high-energy, emotionally charged performances of La La Land in Concert. What he didn’t expect was that somewhere between the jazz-infused heartbreak and celluloid, he would become an unexpected modern-day Cupid, guiding not one, but two surprise marriage proposals in Brisbane and Melbourne.
“I don’t often facilitate marriage proposals at my concerts, but I’m all for it,” Ellis said. “It was one of those moments where the music just carried everything.”
The first unfolded in Brisbane, where Ryan Stella spent weeks quietly planning a proposal for his partner, Jade Sin.
“I watched a few YouTube videos of proposals and wanted to make it personal,” Ryan said. “Something Jade would always remember.”
Jade’s love of live orchestral music made La La Land in Concert the perfect setting. “We had talked about getting married,” he said. “I knew this would be the right moment.”
The couple secured tickets through the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and what began as a night at the movies-with-orchestra slowly shifted into something far more intimate.
Ryan, who met Jade through work in retail management, both originally computer store managers before moving into broader careers, said music and content creation had always been part of their connection.
But nothing prepared them for what came next.
The first half unfolded as expected: sweeping orchestral themes, hushed silences, and an audience immersed in the film’s bittersweet nostalgia. Ellis recalls sensing something building even before intermission.
“There was a different energy in the room,” he said. “You can feel when something is about to happen.”
After the interval, that feeling crystallised.
At the end of the performance, Ellis stepped forward, paused the orchestra, and in a moment not written into any score, addressed the audience, inviting Ryan to take the floor.
“I won’t lie, I felt nervous,” Ryan admitted. “But I also knew it was something special.”
He dropped to one knee.
When Jade said yes, the orchestra lifted into Planetarium, one of the film’s most tender motifs, and the hall erupted.
“It felt like the music was waiting for it,” Ellis said. “The timing was incredible.”
Strangers cheered, filmed, and embraced the moment as it unfolded.
“People were coming up afterwards showing us footage they had taken,” Ryan said. “It was overwhelming in the best way.”
Ellis, watching from the podium, said simply: “I loved it. Seeing the audience go wild — that’s what live music is about.”
But Brisbane wasn’t the only night.
Across the national tour, another proposal unfolded in similar fashion, this time Suleiman and Nadeen in Melbourne, again with Ellis and the production team allowing a real-life love story to quietly enter the orchestral narrative. Different couple, different city, same unexpected magic.
For Ellis, it was never staged spectacle.
“People forget La La Land is really about timing — about life not always going the way you expect,” he said. “On these nights, everything aligned.”
He added with a laugh: “I don’t think I’ll be adding ‘wedding celebrant’ to my résumé just yet… but I do enjoy seeing love win.”
After the Melbourne show, the orchestra joked they were ready for the “yes cue” in future performances.
Online reactions mirrored the mood in the hall, with audience members describing the nights as “electric,” “joyful,” and “unforgettable.”
“Anything to facilitate the romance of young love,” one attendee wrote on social media. Another joked: “Next he’ll be conducting the wedding as well.”
As for Ryan, wedding plans are already drifting into honeymoon dreams, with southern Italy on the table, and Greece firmly in the conversation.
“Greece would be great too,” he said.
Ellis, whose Greek heritage continues to shape his artistic voice, says that sense of emotion and connection is inseparable from how he conducts.
“My Greek heritage influences my work in many ways,” he has told The Greek Herald. “Greekness means a love of life, an energetic, expressive approach. It absolutely feeds into how I conduct.”
He often describes music as communal, alive, shared, and deeply human, values rooted in that heritage.
“I think that sense of expression, of togetherness, is very Greek,” he said. “It’s in the music, it’s in the people, it’s in the emotion.”
It’s that spirit, passionate, joyful, and unmistakably human, that turned two concerts into something more, and made love, quite literally, take centre stage.
The brother of shark attack victim Mercury Psillakis, Mike Psillakis, has called on the Minns government to urgently deploy drones at all Sydney beaches year-round following a fatal incident at Coogee.
Psillakis said he fears further deaths will occur without expanded surveillance, arguing drones should operate “from sunlight to sunset seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
“We can’t afford to have any more attacks or lives lost,” he said.
“They (drones) need to be on every city beach, even in unpatrolled times, so warnings can be triggered a lot earlier. We need to protect human life, that’s the number one priority.”
Mercury Psillakis, 56, was killed by a great white shark at Long Reef Beach in Sydney’s north in September.
Psillakis said recent incidents showed the need for wider coverage, noting drones were operating at 14 locations on Saturday but not at Coogee. He also warned repeated attacks could harm tourism.
“In recent months there has been a spate of attacks. This doesn’t just affect surfers or swimmers, it impacts Sydney tourism,” he said. “We can’t afford for this to happen again.”
He added: “Install the drones and operate them at every popular city beaches … or the attacks will keep occurring and it’s a trend that won’t go away. The whites are coming up now and this is the second white attack in Sydney within a year. It’s just ridiculous.”
A Greek Australian has donated a brand new, fully equipped ambulance to help strengthen emergency healthcare services in the Nafpaktia and Dorida regions of Central Greece.
The vehicle has already joined the EKAB fleet and is now in daily operation, providing vital emergency support to local communities.
Spyros Macheiras, who recently returned permanently to his hometown of Trizonia in Greece after many years in Australia, told local outlet Nafpaktianews.gr that supporting local healthcare services had long been a personal goal.
He said he was pleased to see the ambulance already making a difference by providing “immediate assistance to citizens.”
Reflecting on the strong bond many members of the Greek diaspora maintain with their homeland, Macheiras said: “Greeks never forget their place of origin. No matter how many years they spend abroad or how much money they make, they always want to return to their homeland.”
Former South Australian minister Andrea Michaels is being sued for defamation by Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli over public comments she made about his “rewards club” lottery business, LMCT+.
The case, heard for the first time in the South Australian Supreme Court on Friday, June 12, centres on remarks Michaels made after a South Australian woman won a $3.5 million home through Portelli’s company but was later found to be ineligible under state gaming laws.
At the time, Michaels, then Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, described the situation as “awful” and “terrible” during a media conference.
She was also quoted saying the business had “knowingly taken money from South Australians, knowing he wasn’t licensed to operate a lottery in SA.”
Portelli’s statement of claim alleges the comments implied he defrauded South Australians, acted as a con man, and knowingly ran unlicensed lotteries.
His lawyers argue the statements damaged his reputation and professional standing, and say he has received death threats and hostile online commentary as a result.
The filing also argues Michaels knew her comments would be widely published and trusted.
Social media posts cited in the claim include accusations such as “don’t buy any tickets from this scammer” and “I wouldn’t trust this guy from a bar of soap.”
Portelli’s lawyer said it would be inappropriate to comment further while proceedings were before the court, adding that “the material filed in the proceedings speak for themselves and my client looks forward to the matter being determined according to law.”
The legal action follows earlier proceedings in which LMCT+ was found guilty of running illegal lotteries and fined $40,000, while Portelli was found not guilty.
Modern Greek enrolments in NSW public schools are rising at beginner level but continue to fall sharply in senior years, highlighting wider concerns about language retention across the state.
NSW data shows just 6 per cent of HSC students studied a language last year, down from 12 per cent in 2004, while primary school language participation has also declined from 80,000 students in 2016 to 70,000 in 2024.
For Modern Greek, beginner enrolments increased from 25 to 44 students (up 76 per cent) between 2015 to 2025, but continuers fell from 47 to 18 (down 62 per cent), reflecting the broader pattern of students not progressing beyond early stages.
University of Sydney languages professor Ken Cruickshank told The Sydney Morning Herald that schools lack both “continuity” and a “critical mass” needed to sustain language programs.
Staffing shortages and small class sizes are also forcing some schools to limit or drop continuers’ courses, while incentives of up to $20,000 have been used in some cases to attract language teachers.
Dr Anna Formosa, head of languages at Santa Sabina College, said teachers often feel unsupported and are pressured to simplify content.
“They have to make Italian all about ice-cream,” she said, adding that students often lose interest in senior years when languages are not treated as academically serious subjects.
She said concerns about ATAR scaling also discourage students from continuing languages into Years 11 and 12.
While some schools report strong uptake in beginner classes, educators say sustaining long-term participation remains the key challenge.
Fashion designer Vicki Vlahos has been found not guilty of blackmail after a Sydney jury cleared her of allegations she attempted to extort nearly $4 million from her cousin and business partner.
Vicki and her assistant Milad Ghazi were acquitted in the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday, June 11 after being accused of blackmailing Vicki’s younger cousin Danielle Vlahos over the fashion label Portia & Scarlett.
The court heard Vicki allegedly threatened to expose an affair between Danielle and her ex-husband Isaac Chami, and demanded payment of around $3.8 million to remain silent.
“You need to pay me $4.3 million minus $900,000 to be able to live in Sydney freely and without wrecking your entire life and reputation,” Vicki was alleged to have said.
The jury returned its not guilty verdict after deliberating for just under four-and-a-half hours.
The case centred on claims the dispute was linked to business negotiations involving the sale of the successful fashion label, which had also been used to dress Miss Universe contestants in 2023.
Vicki was previously charged in 2025, but her legal team argued there were broader disputes between the parties and denied the allegations throughout the trial.
History was made at Sydney’s ANZAC Memorial on Friday evening, June 12, as the inaugural Cyprus Memorial Commemoration brought together veterans, descendants, diplomats, historians, clergy and community leaders to honour a shared legacy of service and sacrifice linking Cyprus, Australia and New Zealand.
Said to be the first event of its kind in Australia, the commemoration recognised the contribution of Cypriots, Australians of Cypriot heritage and New Zealanders of Cypriot heritage who served during times of war, while shining a light on often-overlooked chapters of military history, including the Cyprus Mule Corps, the Cyprus Regiment and Australian peacekeeping service in Cyprus.
Those in attendance honoured a shared legacy of service and sacrifice linking Cyprus, Australia and New Zealand. All photos copyright The Greek Herald.
Held in the Hall of Service at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park, the event was organised by the Cyprus Memorial Committee and the Cyprus Community of New South Wales as part of a broader effort to preserve and promote the stories that have connected the three nations for more than a century.
The evening commenced with a solemn memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony, with prayers offered by His Grace Bishop lakovos of Miletoupolis.
The evening commenced with a solemn memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony.
Guests stood in remembrance during the Ode, Last Post and the national anthems of Australia, New Zealand and Cyprus, paying tribute to generations who served in defence of freedom.
Official proceedings were led by Dimitra Mavrocordatos, President of the Hellenic Society of UNSW, while Ken Fischer served as Master of Ceremonies throughout the evening.
Guests paid tribute to generations who served in defence of freedom.The event was held at the ANZAC memorial.Official proceedings were led by Dimitra Mavrocordatos.Ken Fischer served as Master of Ceremonies throughout the evening.
Preserving memory for future generations
Welcoming guests, Cyprus Memorial Committee member Maree Skouros reflected on the thousands of Cypriots who served alongside Australian, New Zealand, Greek, British and Allied forces during both World Wars, as well as Australians of Cypriot heritage who later served in the Australian Defence Force.
Cyprus Memorial Committee member Maree Skouros.
“Their stories are stories of sacrifice, courage and service,” she said.
“As young Australians of Cypriot heritage, we have a responsibility to keep this legacy alive and pass it on to future generations.”
She also acknowledged the Cyprus Community of NSW’s Honorary President Michael Peters Kyriacou, Michael Phillips and members of the Cyprus Memorial Committee for helping bring the historic initiative to life.
(L-R) Councillor Harry Stavrinos with Honorary President of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Michael Kyriacou.
Minister highlights multicultural ANZAC legacy
Delivering the Australian Government address, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite MP reflected on the evolution of Australia’s understanding of the ANZAC story and the many communities whose contribution helped shape the nation.
While acknowledging Gallipoli’s central place in Australian military history, Thistlethwaite emphasised that modern Australia increasingly recognises the role played by people from diverse cultural backgrounds who served alongside one another during times of conflict.
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite MP.
“Australia does not define itself by its Britishness. We’re a proud, independent, multicultural nation,” he said.
The Minister highlighted the contribution of Greek Australians, Cypriots, Indigenous Australians and many other communities whose stories form part of Australia’s military heritage.
He paid tribute to the Cyprus Mule Corps during the First World War, the Cyprus Regiment during the Second World War and the Australian peacekeepers who later served in Cyprus under the United Nations.
“Tonight, we remember the Cypriots who served with and alongside Australians,” he said.
“Tonight, their stories are our stories. Tonight, those people are our people.”
His remarks underscored the significance of recognising Cypriot contribution as part of Australia’s broader national story and were warmly received by attendees.
Cyprus’ wartime contribution remembered
Representing the Republic of Cyprus, High Commissioner Antonis Sammoutis delivered a deeply personal address examining Cyprus’ role in the Allied war effort and the enduring relationship between Cyprus and Australia.
He noted that from a population of fewer than 400,000 people during the Second World War, more than 30,000 Cypriots volunteered for military service, including approximately 200 women.
“It is not exaggerated if we assume that one in every three young men of suitable military age enlisted to fight,” he said.
High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Australia, Antonis Sammoutis.
Sammoutis spoke of Greek and Turkish Cypriots serving side by side in Allied uniforms and emphasised the sacrifices made by those who fought against fascism across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
He also paid tribute to Australian peacekeepers who served in Cyprus for more than five decades, describing their contribution as an important chapter in the relationship between the two nations.
Sammoutis also congratulated organisers for bringing the long-planned initiative to fruition before the conclusion of his diplomatic posting in Australia.
Honouring memory through education
A particularly moving moment came when student Peter Evangelidis delivered the poem Brothers in Battle, honouring Cypriots who served alongside Allied forces and calling on future generations to preserve their stories.
The evening also featured a keynote presentation by Professor Georgios Kazamias of the University of Cyprus. Despite technical difficulties affecting the live link from Cyprus, Professor Kazamias was able to outline the important role played by the Cyprus Mule Corps and the Cyprus Regiment while emphasising the need to preserve the memory of those who served.
Student Peter Evangelidis.Keynote presentation by Professor Georgios Kazamias of the University of Cyprus.
The evening also marked the launch of the exhibition and publication Mateship: The Story of Cypriots and the ANZAC Tradition, exploring the wartime experiences of Cypriots who served alongside Australian and New Zealand forces and celebrating the bonds forged through military service.
The exhibition and publication form part of the Cyprus Memorial Committee’s broader mission to document and preserve stories that have often remained absent from mainstream historical narratives.
Historian Panayiotis Diamadis played a part in the exhibition.
Bringing hidden history to light
One of the evening’s most engaging presentations came from historian and researcher Jim Claven OAM, widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading authorities on the ANZAC experience in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Jim Claven OAM.
Claven congratulated organisers on creating what he described as the first event he had attended specifically dedicated to commemorating Cypriot service alongside the ANZAC tradition.
“I want to congratulate everyone involved in that. It’s really important,” he said.
Drawing on decades of research, he highlighted the often-overlooked contribution of the Cyprus Mule Corps during the First World War and the Cyprus Regiment during the Second World War.
He explained that muleteers were frequently required to transport ammunition, supplies and equipment through dangerous front-line conditions, often under enemy fire and in harsh terrain.
(L-R) Jim Claven OAM with Honorary President of the Cyprus Community of NSW, Michael Kyriacou.
Claven also shared little-known stories of Australian troops stationed in Cyprus during the Second World War, recounting how local communities welcomed Australian servicemen with flowers, wine and blessings as they arrived to help defend the island.
His presentation highlighted the deep personal connections forged between Cypriots and Australians during wartime and reinforced the importance of preserving these stories within the historical record.
A lasting legacy
As guests gathered afterwards to view the exhibition, browse the newly launched publication and reflect on the evening’s proceedings, the significance of the occasion was evident.
People browse the exhibition.
More than a memorial service, the inaugural Cyprus Memorial Commemoration marked the beginning of an ongoing effort to preserve a shared military history spanning Cyprus, Australia and New Zealand.
For organisers, descendants and attendees alike, the evening was a powerful reminder that the stories of those who served must continue to be remembered, recorded and passed on to future generations.
Victorian Housing Minister Nick Staikos has announced changes to the state’s Affordable Housing Rental Scheme aimed at reducing rents and increasing long-term housing security for low-to-moderate-income households.
Under the revised rules, rent for eligible tenants will be capped at the lower of 30 per cent of household income or 74.99 per cent of market rent, replacing the previous threshold of up to 90 per cent of market rent or 30 per cent of median income.
Lease terms will also be extended from three to five years to provide greater stability for families.
“Every Victorian family deserves a safe, secure place to call home,” Staikos said. “We’re cutting rents and locking in longer leases — because families need stability, not uncertainty.”
Income eligibility limits have also been set, with singles able to earn up to $74,080, couples up to $111,110, and families up to $155,550 annually. The benchmarks will be reviewed each year.
The scheme has delivered more than 500 homes since 2022 in suburbs including Kensington, Ascot Vale and Ashburton and forms part of the broader $6.3 billion Big Housing Build and Regional Housing Fund program.
Australian athlete Abby Andrews has been named Most Valuable Player after helping Olympiacos Women’s Water Polo Team win the Champions League Final Four in Malta.
Olympiacos were crowned European champions for the fourth time in their history after defeating Ferencváros 17-14 in a penalty shootout final.
Andrews scored nine goals across the tournament, including four in the semi-final and five in the final, as Olympiacos secured victory in a dramatic shootout to claim the title.
Her standout performances earned her MVP honours for the Malta Final Four, capping a dominant campaign for the Australian international.
