The Hellenic Club of Canberra has sold an office block in the southwestern Melbourne suburb of Williams Landing for just over $25 million.
The Victorian government-occupied building at 107 Overton Road, Williams Landing was snapped up by Perth-based fund manager Ascot Capital Limited. The deal was brokered by CBRE.
The Hellenic Club of Canberra is focused on its redevelopment.
Hellenic Club spokesman Ian Cameron said the property was a strong, reliable asset for the club during its short period of ownership.
“However, a change of strategy and an equity requirement for an exciting development in Canberra precipitated the sale,” Mr Cameron said.
Ascot allegedly tried to buy the block back in 2018, when Cedar Woods put it up for sale, but missed out when the building was sold to the Hellenic Club for $25.93 million.
Greece’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Thursday that the country will start negotiations to buy a fourth Belharra frigate from France to strengthen its navy.
According to Ekathimerini, Greece agreed in 2021 to get three new Belharra frigates for $3.34 billion, with an option for one more.
Dendias confirmed the news while speaking at a launch ceremony for the second French frigate. He added that three of the four Belharra will be able to carry “Scalp Naval” cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres.
Στην τελετή καθέλκυσης του «Νέαρχου», της δεύτερης Φρεγάτας FDI HN του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού», στα Ναυπηγεία της #Lorient.
Μιας Φρεγάτας, που όπως και ο «Κίμων», ενσωματώνει τις πιο σύγχρονες τεχνολογίες, ώστε να συμβάλλει αποφασιστικά στην προστασία της εθνικής κυριαρχίας και των… pic.twitter.com/qPiL81N4w9
Athens has drawn up a multi-billion, 10-year purchasing plan that includes acquiring up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets from the United States and also Rafale jets from France.
On Wednesday, officials told Reuters Greece also planned to buy Switchblade drones from the US, a type of weapon complement to the Spike anti-tank missiles Athens plans to send to its islands in the Aegean Sea.
“They will contribute to the creation of a rocket wall in the Aegean,” Dendias said.
An ensemble cast of some of Sydney’s most beloved Jewish performers brought to life Vic Alhadeff OAM’s poignant play ‘Torn Apart by War’ at Australia’s largest synagogue in Woollahra on Sunday, September 15.
The Emanuel Synagogue was filled with nearly 300 people, with around 25 per cent of Greek descent.
Inspired by true events, Torn Apart by War is a poignant play written by Mr Alhadeff – former CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, former editor of the Australian Jewish News and former Chair of Multicultural NSW – about his father’s agonising decision to leave the Greek island of Rhodes for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on the eve of the Holocaust.
All photos copyright: Benjamin Ryan.
The event commemorated 80 years since the destruction of the Jewish communities of Rhodes and the other Dodecanese islands, with a program presented by Emanuel Synagogue in conjunction with the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney and with the contribution of the Rhodes Jewish Museum.
On the day there was an opening blessing by Rabbi Sam Zwarenstein and a special address by Consul General of Greece in Sydney Yannis Mallikourtis wherein he noted: “The story of Rhodes is not just a Jewish story, it is also a Greek story, but not just that, it transcends borders, ultimately becoming a story of ecumenical relevance.”
The remainder of the program included the dramatised play-reading of Torn Apart by War directed by Dr Liz Hovey and performed by Geoff Sirmai, Joanna Weinberg, Tony Sloman and Hovey herself, followed by a Q&A with Mr Alhadeff and a special musical performance and a delicious spread of Greek pastries.
Musical performances included Chutney Unplugged (Ben Adler and Paul Khodor) accompanied the performance and Sarit Michael performed in Greek ‘Song of Songs’ (Άσμα ασμάτων) from Mikis Theodorakis’ Mauthausen Trilogy.
A moving performance of ‘Arvoles’ by Rabbi George Mordecaia was also shared on the night. This Ladina (Judeo-Spanish) piece was historically sung by the Greek Jews as they were marched into the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
Special guests in attendance included Mr Mallikourtis; Trade Commissioner of Greece in Australia, Chryssa Prokopaki; First Secretary for Public Diplomacy at the Consulate of Greece in Sydney, Anastasia Christofilopoulou; and other Consul Generals, media representatives and leaders from the Greek and Jewish communities.
There are more than 421,000 Australians who live with dementia and around 1.6 million people are involved in their care. The effects of dementia vary but generally, dementia affects your mood, memory, thinking and behaviour.
A family’s account of dealing with dementia
When her father was diagnosed with dementia, Anna Forgac from Melbourne turned to Dementia Australia for advice, support and information. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia, but it can be difficult for families to navigate and support their loved one.
On behalf of her mum and sisters, Anna has shared their story to The Greek Herald, revealing how the family has banded together to care for their beloved husband, father and grandfather once he was diagnosed with dementia.
Evangelos Dimitroulis, 87, was looked after at home by his wife Dimitra, 82, and daughters until he deteriorated – going missing, not taking medication and falling at home.
The family was faced with a tough decision on how to best care for him. Six years ago, they knew it was time for Evangelos to receive the care he required in the appropriate aged care facility.
The husband and father
Evangelos arrived in Australia in 1968 from Agrinio and, as was the case with many Greeks, he married Dimitra by proxy the following year. Soon after their family was complete with three daughters, Lambrini, Tina and Anna.
He worked as a taxi driver for a company called Embassy for 30 years and it was a job that gave him joy, Anna said.
“Dad absolutely loved his job – he loved meeting people,” she said. “He was very adventurous, and it was the core of who dad was.”
While Evangelos worked the taxi, his wife stayed home to raise their three daughters. The family like to remember their dad as someone who took a keen interest in people, politics, Greece and had a life-long passion for learning. Evangelos wanted to learn more about philosophy and would attend workshops at RMIT University to further his knowledge.
“Dad genuinely loved the history of Greece and planted the seeds of our heritage,” Anna said.
“He was proud of who we were and us. We weren’t brought up the same way as every other family. Even though he embraced his heritage – dad encouraged us to be freethinkers.”
A steady decline
Ten years ago, Evangelos experienced an angina attack that required surgery and was never the same. After the operation, he experienced post-operative delirium due to the complex surgery and the family noticed changes in his behaviour.
“Dad presented with signs of dementia but there were things that didn’t disappear after the operation – he showed confusion of everyday things, he didn’t know where he was, and was talking about being back in the village at a paniyiri,” Anna said.
“Dad would recognise us but remember us from a younger age. He would talk to me as if I was ten years old.”
Other signs the family noticed was that Evangelos was not as careful with hygiene as he once was. The changes in his behaviour became more noticeable by Anna when her parents came to stay with her for a week or so at a time.
“I started to realise that dad would confuse the bedroom with the laundry,” she said.
“It got to a point where he wasn’t as advanced (with dementia) but he wasn’t taking medications. He was walking to the shops and we couldn’t find him. He was collapsing at home and mum wasn’t able to pick him up.
“Mum wasn’t able to provide the 24-hour care that he needed. He needed someone to monitor him with the medications. It wasn’t giving dad or mum a good quality of life.”
Evangelos Dimitroulis as a young man.
Banding together
The family contacted Dementia Australia for advice and support on dementia and after much thought over the decision, Evangelos was placed in an aged care facility. Each week the family – Anna, her sisters, grandchildren and Dimitra – take turns to visit Evangelos.
“It’s a hard decision to make… you never want to be in that position, but you want to ensure their needs are met and that they are getting the best care,” Anna said.
“We had called Dementia Australia as there was a lot of conflicting information. They were really helpful in guiding on the next steps.
“We make sure we treat him as if he were at home (and) we do a lot of personal care such as giving dad a massage, trimming his hair, feeding him, reading the paper and playing Greek music.”
Special moments to remember
The family takes comfort that when they visit Evangelos, they see the gentle side, the loving side of a husband, father and grandfather. That has not been eroded.
“You enter the room – you can sense that he feels the love – he smiles,” Anna said.
“Dad loves us. Dad was kind to everyone. His personality and loving nature will never change.”
Dementia Australia is the national peak body supporting people living with dementia, their families and carers. Their website resources are translated into Greek and 40 other languages: dementia.org.au/languages/Greek
For information or support call the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500.
If you need an interpreter contact the National Dementia Helpline through the Telephone Interpreting Service on 131 450.
On Tuesday, September 17, the Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, accompanied by the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis, visited the offices of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOCNSW) at Lakemba.
The Board of the GOCNSW, led by its President Harry Danalis, warmly welcomed the two Greek diplomats.
Photos by Vasilis Vasilas.
The group then engaged in a constructive discussion on current issues of mutual interest concerning the Greek diaspora, including the Greek language, Greek afternoon schools, the dispatch of teachers from Greece to staff the schools, as well as funding for the Greek Festival and Greek Film Festival of Sydney. Suggestions were brought up around the participation of the Greek National Theatre in the festival.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Danalis presented Ambassador Venizelos with a commemorative plaque and various documents related to the operations and goals of the Community.
A dinner was subsequently hosted in honour of the Ambassador.
During his first official visit to Sydney, the Ambassador of Greece to Australia Stavros Venizelos met with representatives of the Greek Australian media, including The Greek Herald‘s Digital Editor Andriana Simos.
Mr Venizelos had an in-depth and interesting conversation with those present about a number of matters affecting the local diaspora such as Greek language retention and the investment of Greek businesses in Australia.
When asked about the office of the Greek Tourism Organisation (EOT) at the Greek Centre in Melbourne, Mr Venizelos said it was close to reopening and stressed its potential benefits in promoting Greek culture and tourism in Australia.
The meeting concluded with Mr Venizelos giving a heartfelt message about the Greek community in Australia and how he has “never seen anything like it” in terms of their pride in the homeland.
Staff members have expressed outrage over the delays in receiving their entitlements, with some payments overdue by more than a year.
A string of staff have spoken out after New York lenders Muzinich pulled part of the funding on a complicated $400 million deal that was meant to save Adgemis’ Public Hospitality Group (PHG).
Photo: NCA NewsWire / David Swift.
A source close to the entrepreneur told The Advertiserthat his bankers were at fault because he had a comprehensive plan to trade out of his financial problems.
Adgemis had intended to pay all staff their correct wages and entitlements, but now there was doubt about how the administration could honour those debts, the source added.
The mogul remains in control of at least ten restaurants across Australia, including popular venues such as The Town Hall and The Lady Hampshire in Sydney, as well as The Saint, Vine and The Clifton in Melbourne.
As the situation at PHG continues to unfold, staff members are increasingly disheartened by the prospect of recovering their hard-earned wages. Many are left questioning the viability of the business and whether their financial entitlements will ever be fulfilled.
The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) is set to organise an informative seminar in Greek and English that will see financial advisors impart important advice for members of the community.
The Financial Seminar, organised by the GOCNSW Welfare Department, is free for all and will be held at 6pm on Tuesday 1 October at the Greek Community Club in Lakemba.
The event will be led by guest speakers James Bouzios and Peter Dickinson from Retirewise, a premier financial planning and retirement advisory firm committed to helping Australians secure a comfortable retirement.
The duo will discuss a number of topics in the seminar, such as:
The role of a financial planner
Understanding the financial planning
Retirement planning
Superannuation
Investing
Risk management
Aged care
Estate planning
Mr Bouzios brings over 40 years of experience in financial services, including a decade as a Financial Planner and four decades as an accountant. James is renowned for building long-term, trust-based relationships with clients. His extensive expertise and dedication make him an invaluable asset to Retirewise.
Mr Dickinson has over eight years of experience as a financial planner. He excels in simplifying financial planning and educating clients on their options. Peter and his team at Retirewise believe in a collaborative approach, aiming to advise, educate, and motivate clients to make confident financial decisions.
The event is free for all with registrations essential. To ensure your spot, please call the GOCNSW Welfare Department at (02) 9740 6022.
Event details:
What: Financial Seminar: Your Guide to Financial Empowerment (in Greek and English)
When: Tuesday 1 October 2024 |6:00pm
Venue: Greek Community Club (206-210 Lakemba St, Lakemba)
Australian Rugby League (ARL) Commission Chairman Peter V’landys has expressed his support for the NRL’s ambitions of acquiring a private aircraft for its players.
V’landys, alongside NRL management led by CEO Andrew Abdo, approved a feasibility study for the private jet on Wednesday, September 18. The study will examine the potential benefits and logistics of adding a private aircraft to the league’s assets, facilitating smoother travel for players between games.
“It’s a very good suggestion, and it’s got enormous benefit,” V’landys told The Sydney Morning Herald. “We discussed it [on Wednesday] and we’re definitely going to do an analysis.
Photo: NRL Photos.
“You can do promotions where you can take fans to different venues, and especially if we expand to Perth, Papua New Guinea, the south island of New Zealand or wherever, it becomes a more realistic option.
“If it’s only slightly more money than what we’re paying now, it doesn’t matter because of the comfort and convenience which would be given to the players for their welfare far outweighs any additional costs.
“The cost-benefit analysis can stack up because of the revenue you make when you’re not using it.”
Greece’s [12] Stefanos Tsitsipas and [9] Maria Sakkari, China’s [7] Zheng Qinwen and Norway’s [9] Casper Ruud have all committed early to the 2025 edition of the United Cup.
From Friday 27 December to Sunday 5 January, eighteen countries, featuring up to three men and up to three women, will compete across Perth and Sydney for the coveted trophy.
Team Greece will make their third appearance at the innovative mixed team tennis tournament and crowd favourite Tsitsipas is keen to return.
“Representing Team Greece in a team competition like that at the beginning of the year is something that allows me to be really patriotic and start the year very strong,” Tsitsipas said.
“The team we have built with Maria (Sakkari) over the last few years is definitely one that gives us a lot of opportunities to go big and create a lot of damage on the field.
“Getting the opportunity to have a lot of good individuals within one team gives us lot of motivation and a lot of reasons to go out there and fight for our best.
“Knowing that we come from a country rich in history and good traditions and values when it comes to sports is an extra reason to go out there and represent tennis, try and do as good as we can to uplift tennis and bring its highest value in our country.”
The Greeks qualified for the United Cup semifinals in 2023 and in 2024 advanced to the quarterfinals, falling to eventual champions Germany.
Australian Open 2024 finalist Zheng Qinwen’s WTA ranking has ensured Team China’s qualification.
“I’m delighted to be able to qualify China again for the United Cup,” said Zheng, the Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist.
“The United Cup presents a unique opportunity to play for our country in a mixed team environment, similar to the Olympics, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this experience together.”
United Cup Tournament Director Stephen Farrow is pleased four top 15 players have been able to commit to the tournament this early.
“We are absolutely thrilled to see Stefanos Tsitsipas, Maria Sakkari, Zheng Qinwen and Casper Ruud commit to the United Cup – their early commitment is a testament to the quality of the event,” Farrow said.
“Tsitsipas and Sakkari qualified Greece at the first two editions of the United Cup. They are both fan favourites and are looking forward to starting their year with us in 2025.
“The Greek fans in both Perth and Sydney have supported the United Cup with great passion. They bring an unrivaled energy in support of their country’s biggest sporting stars, which is the essence of the United Cup.
“Zheng has had an incredible 2024 – she reached the final of the Australian Open in January, won gold in Paris and has maintained her top 10 ranking throughout the year. She’s a great player and a big personality and it’s fantastic to welcome her back to the United Cup.
“Casper Ruud’s consistent results on the tour has again allowed Norway to secure their position at the United Cup for another year. Ruud’s early commitment recognises the value in participating in global team competitions.”
The official draw will be held on Monday 21 October and will determine which city Greece, China and Norway will contest the United Cup Group Stage.
Participation in the United Cup is subject to players committing by the tournament’s entry deadline of 16 October for the first 16 teams. The remaining two teams will be decided after the second qualification date of 19 November.
Ten countries will qualify for the United Cup via the five highest-ranked men and five highest-ranked women entered based on their PIF ATP and WTA rankings.
Eight teams will qualify according to the best combined ranking of the highest-ranked men’s and women’s players from the same country.
