His performance drew widespread praise, with commentator Mike Hussey calling it “amazing” and Mark Waugh describing him as “impossible to bowl to.”
Warner said Konstas played with “freedom” and displayed “calm and clear” decision-making. Former England captain Michael Vaughan and several cricket pundits predicted a bright future for the rising star.
Konstas’ heroics helped the Thunder claim a two-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers, with Daniel Sams’ late hitting sealing the victory.
Melbourne Victory FC has announced that Senior Assistant Coach Arthur Diles will take over as Head Coach of the A-League Men’s side following the departure of Patrick Kisnorbo, who is leaving to pursue an overseas opportunity.
Diles’ appointment brings stability and continuity to the squad as the team sits third on the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder.
Managing Director Caroline Carnegie expressed confidence in Diles’ ability to maintain momentum, stating, “As our attention turns to the rest of the season, we know Arthur is in an excellent position to further build on the strong foundations established as we ultimately strive for silverware.”
“Arthur has a deep understanding of the team’s dynamics and is well-equipped to ensure stability, maintain focus and provide leadership as the team moves forward,” Carnegie added.
Melbourne Victory can confirm that A-League Men’s Head Coach Patrick Kisnorbo has departed the Club to pursue an overseas opportunity. pic.twitter.com/dy25mUD7nU
Diles is now focused on his first match as Head Coach against Melbourne City this Saturday night, followed by a busy run of fixtures over the New Year period.
Kisnorbo’s departure comes after joining Melbourne Victory in June 2024. During his tenure, Kisnorbo guided the team to an Australia Cup Final berth and a strong start to the A-League season.
Chairman John Dovaston acknowledged the loss, saying, “We are disappointed to see Patrick depart the Club so early in his expected journey with us, however Patrick has advised us that this is an opportunity he wanted to take for his own development as a coach.”
While Kisnorbo’s exit marks a change in leadership, the club’s management is optimistic that Diles’ appointment will provide the consistency needed to sustain their pursuit of success this season.
Member for Bentleigh, Nick Staikos, has announced today that he is set to become the newest addition to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s cabinet.
Staikos will fill the vacancy left by the departure of Treasurer Tim Pallas, with an official announcement expected in the coming days as part of Allan’s broader ministry reshuffle.
Staikos’ appointment was unopposed, with Labor’s Left-aligned National Union of Workers faction—to which Staikos belongs—supporting his move into the ministry.
Staikos’ career background includes a stint at ANZ Bank while he was a student at Monash University. Since graduating, he has primarily worked for various state and federal politicians and served as a councillor for Glen Eira City before entering state politics.
In a post on Facebook, Staikos thanked the Bentleigh electorate community for their support.
“I am East Bentleigh born and bred. That’s why it has always been the greatest honour of my life that our community has chosen me at three elections to be our representative in the State Parliament,” he wrote.
“It is due to the support from our community that I will now be able to serve Victoria as a Minister.”
Nick Kyrgios has announced he will play doubles with Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International, starting on December 29.
The Australian tennis star credited Djokovic for motivating his return from injury, saying the former world number one’s encouragement played a key role in his comeback.
Kyrgios shared the news on Instagram with a photo of himself and Djokovic walking onto the court before their 2022 Wimbledon final, captioning it: “Doubles at Brisbane. See y’all there.”
The Brisbane event will serve as a warm-up for January’s Australian Open, where Kyrgios has secured a spot using an injury-protected ranking.
The unlikely doubles pairing follows a shift in their relationship from rivals to friends. During this year’s Australian Open, Djokovic urged Kyrgios to team up with him before retirement, saying, “You’ve got to promise me something… recover quick, come back to the tour before I retire and we’ve got to play doubles.”
Kyrgios has played just one ATP match since the 2022 US Open due to wrist and knee injuries that required three surgeries. He revealed that a pep talk from Djokovic after a practice session at Wimbledon was pivotal.
“I was hitting with Novak and when he said to me, ‘It doesn’t look like you’ve had surgery,’ and that was a big motivation,” Kyrgios said.
Before Brisbane, Kyrgios will play in the World Tennis League exhibition in Abu Dhabi on December 19, joining stars like Iga Świątek, Casper Ruud, and Daniil Medvedev.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan announced on Tuesday, December 17 new measures to combat anti-Semitism and promote social cohesion.
Key measures include banning public displays of terrorist symbols linked to Hamas, Hezbollah, and white nationalist groups. Protesters will also be banned from wearing face masks and using devices like glue, chains, and locks to disrupt public spaces.
George Lekakis, former Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, has been appointed to lead a new advisory group called the Local Escalation And Help (LEAH) group. The group will work with Jewish leaders, councils, and security services to address threats quickly.
Premier Allan stated, “Antisemitism thrives in extreme and radical environments,” adding that the measures aim to balance the right to protest with public safety.
Premier Jacinta Allan.
The government will also introduce a ‘social cohesion pledge’ requiring multicultural groups to uphold inclusive values to qualify for state funding. Groups that promote division risk losing financial support.
Jewish groups cautiously welcomed the measures. Jewish Community Council of Victoria’s CEO Naomi Levin called for close monitoring of the changes, while Zionism Victoria President Elyse Schachna praised the government’s support against anti-Israel protests.
The government also pledged to assist in rebuilding the Adass Israel synagogue after it was firebombed. Additionally, efforts will be made to revive the state’s interfaith dialogue program, Building Bridges, which had recently stalled amid tensions within the multifaith community.
The Greek government has proposed an amendment to suspend state funding for the far-right Spartiates (Spartans) party due to alleged criminal affiliations.
The legislation, introduced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to prevent public funds from supporting criminal activities.
The amendment stipulates that parties linked to criminal organisations will have their funding suspended and must return previously received funds within a month of notification. Failure to comply will result in triple the amount being deducted from future state funding.
Imprisoned former deputy leader of Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party, Ilias Kasidiaris. Photo: Ekathimerini.
Kasidiaris, convicted in 2020, later founded the nationalist Hellenes party, which was banned from the May national elections due to his criminal record. Subsequently, he endorsed the Spartiates, leading to their unexpected success in the June elections, where they secured 12% of the vote and thirteen parliamentary seats.
Despite being barred from participating in the European Parliament elections, the Spartiates received substantial state funding, including three sums of €788,067.18, €59,998.58, and €25,898, intended for election purposes. The proposed amendment seeks to recover these funds and prevent further allocations.
The trial of the 11 Spartiates MPs has faced multiple postponements, with the next court date scheduled for December 20.
For the fourth consecutive year,The Greek Herald invited the vibrant minds of youth aged 5 to 18 to craft the front cover of its special Christmas print edition — and the response was truly extraordinary.
This year’s competition saw a record-breaking flood of creative submissions from Greek schools all over Australia. Each entry was a celebration of colour, culture and holiday spirit, all beautifully aligned with the competition’s heartwarming themes: ‘Christmas in Greece’ and ‘A Greek Christmas.’
From sparkling stars over the Aegean to cozy family feasts, the young artists’ interpretations captured the magic of the season in ways only a child’s imagination could.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every child who poured their creativity onto paper. Special thanks also go to the parents and grandparents who encouraged and inspired them to participate, nurturing the next generation of artists and storytellers.
Now, it’s time to showcase the incredible talent of our young community. Take a moment to admire the outstanding works of our finalists and join us in congratulating this year’s winner.
Winner: Chloe Llewellyn
Winning artwork by Chloe Llewellyn, 16 years old, Sydney.
The Greek Herald is excited to announce today that 16-year-old Chloe Llewellyn from Sydney, New South Wales, is the winner of our Christmas print cover competition for 2024. Congratulations Chloe!
Chloe shared a special message with The Greek Herald after finding out she had won the competition and was the recipient of a $100 Westfield gift voucher.
“My mum wanted me to enter The Greek Herald’s competition because my first ever trip to Greece was last Christmas and that’s why this picture is so special to me,” Chloe said.
“It was my first time experiencing the Greek culture and being there at Christmas to meet my family for the first time was something I won’t forget.
“It was my first ever winter Christmas, which is why I also wanted to include snow in my artwork. I saw some snow while I was in Ioannina and we had snow fights on the road side. I also really loved all the stray cats running around and the boats on the water.
“I’m really honoured to have won this competition and pay tribute to my mum’s Greek heritage.”
Finalists:
Below you can find our amazing top twenty finalists:
Mary Tsapaliaris, 14 years old, Adelaide High School.Eleni Protogeros, 10 years old, Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s Greek Afternoon and Saturday Schools.Nikoletta Kalabalikis, 16 years old, St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove.Michail Gatsis, 13 years old, Marist College Kogarah.Paraskevi Poulianas, Clempton Park Public School.Ava Apostolopoulos, 12 years old, International Grammar School.Konstantina Dionisiou, 6 years old, Bald Face Public School NSW.Nicole Stratis, 15 years old, Casimir Catholic College.Kalliroe Venegas, 7, All Saints Grammar.Sofia Michael, 9, All Saints Grammar School.Κiki Τoussas, Greek Language and Culture Schools of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria.Everlyn Louka, 11 years old, Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s Greek Afternoon and Saturday Schools.Erofili Marinos, Alphington Grammar School.Olivia Vlahos, 12 years old, Greek Language and Culture Schools of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria.Angelina Dimitrakopoulou, 13 years old, Greek Language and Culture Schools of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria.Alexia Stratsianis, Alphington Grammar School.Valani (Chrysovalantou) Kalivitis, 9 years old, Cyprus Community of NSW Greek School.Philip Spiliotopoulos, 8 years old, Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s Greek Afternoon and Saturday Schools.Liana Louka, 9 years old, Greek Orthodox Community of NSW’s Greek Afternoon and Saturday Schools.Ethan Hardie, Alphington Grammar School.
The Higher School Certificate (HSC) ‘First in Course’ awards for Year 12 students in New South Wales have been revealed and on the merit list are at least five young Australians of Greek heritage.
Community and Family Studies: Arsenia Gatziastras, Sylvania High School
Modern Greek Beginners: Ellie Marmara, NSW School of Languages (Petersham)
Modern Greek Continuers: Mary Glekas, St Euphemia College (Bankstown)
Modern Greek Extension: Vasileios Manis, All Saints Grammar School (Belmore)
Spanish Extension: Ajay Kantouros, International Grammar School (Ultimo)
Ellie Marmara came ‘First in Course’ for Modern Greek Beginners.
On Tuesday, December 17, these students, along with 127 others, attended a special award ceremony at the University of NSW. The state’s Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car presented an award to each young genius at the event.
In a post on Facebook, All Saints Grammar School congratulated its School Captain Vasileios for his ‘First in Course’ achievement. Vasileios was joined at the award ceremony by his uncle His Grace Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Vasileios’ incredible achievement and that of his teacher Mr Hadjiyannis. We’re excited for the bright future ahead. Well done, Vasileios!” the post read.
St Euphemia College also congratulated its student Mary for achieving first place in Modern Greek Continuers.
“Your hard work and dedication have led to this outstanding accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of your success. Strive for excellence,” the College wrote on Facebook.
Some 80,160 will receive their HSC results at 6am on Wednesday, December 18, with ATARs released from 9am. All students can share their results with The Greek Herald on the day via info@foreignlanguage.com.au
*Please note the above list includes the names of those who are recognised as Greek. If you know another Greek HSC high-achiever this year, please email us at info@foreignlanguage.com.au.
Panagia Soumela Sydney has sent warm Christmas wishes to the community, capping off a year of vibrant cultural activity with a festive end-of-year celebration last weekend.
The event brought together children, parents, and grandparents to honour their Pontian heritage with music, dance, and tradition.
Attendees were treated to children’s performances of Christmas carols in the Pontian Greek dialect — one of the closest linguistic links to ancient Greek — as well as traditional Pontian music and dance.
The highlight of the day was a visit from Santa Clause (Agios Vasilis), a key figure in Greek New Year’s celebrations and a proud Pontian himself. His appearance delighted children and adults alike, with the committee noting that he “never forgets to visit Pontian clubs around the world.”
Giving backand looking ahead
In the spirit of the season, Panagia Soumela Sydney held a toy drive for Randwick Children’s Hospital, with the donated gifts set to be delivered this week. The association also pledged a $1,000 donation to Variety Children’s Charity to support children in need this Christmas.
The committee reflected on a challenging but rewarding year, thanking volunteers and supporters for their efforts.
“Even though we close the year with a very exhausted committee and volunteers, we go on our break with a renewed sense of confidence, energy, and excitement for the new year,” the committee said.
With their sights set on continued growth and cultural celebration, the association vowed to keep aiming high.
The Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, has been awarded the highest honorary distinction of the Greek Archdiocese of Australia (GOAA) — the medal of the Order of the Christ-Loving.
The award was presented by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia during a grand Poly-Hierarchical Divine Liturgy held on Sunday, December 15, at the Holy Monastery of Our Lady “Axion Esti” in Melbourne, Victoria.
This significant event, which drew a large congregation of clergy, community leaders, and the faithful, was also attended by the former Secretary General of Hellenism Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Chrysoulakis.
The ceremony also marked the historic transfer of the holy relics of the Four Holy New Martyrs of Rethymno — Saints Manuel, Angelos, George, and Nicholas — to the Holy Monastery of “Axion Esti.”
During the service, Archbishop Makarios expressed his gratitude to Mr Kakavelakis for his four years of dedicated service in Melbourne. His Eminence commended the Consul General’s exemplary work in strengthening ties between the Greek community and the GOAA, noting the Consul’s impeccable cooperation and unwavering support.
“Always here in Australia, you will have many brothers, sisters and friends, and a home, which is the Holy Archdiocese, whose doors will always be open,” Archbishop Makarios assured the Consul General.
Mr Kakavelakis’ service in Melbourne will soon come to an end as he departs to undertake a new diplomatic mission in Syria, having been elevated to the rank of Ambassador.
The ceremony also marked the historic transfer of the holy relics of the Four Holy New Martyrs of Rethymno — Saints Manuel, Angelos, George, and Nicholas — to the Holy Monastery of “Axion Esti”. The reliquary was handed over by His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, with the relics set to remain at the monastery as a source of blessing for pilgrims and the Greek Orthodox faithful in Melbourne, Victoria, and across Australia.
