More than 200 locals have signed a petition opposing the draft Activity Centre plan, which would increase housing density around Oakleigh railway station as part of the state’s push to deliver 800,000 new homes in a decade.
According to The Herald Sun, the proposal would create a central “core” of buildings between six and 16 storeys, with lower-rise apartments and townhouses in surrounding streets. But longstanding residents Elaine and Trevor Parry said the move threatens the suburb’s character.
Ms Parry warned: “It’s just going to ruin the whole of central Oakleigh and people won’t want to live here.”
Locals fear overshadowing, wind-tunnel effects and the loss of the mall’s outdoor, low-rise appeal.
A government spokesperson told The Herald Sun the plan aims to “deliver more homes in areas well served by trains, trams, shops and jobs,” while emphasising that feedback would inform adjustments to protect “sunny streets, parks and good design.”
She said safety must be considered year-round and hoped “Merc’s legacy will reflect the way he dedicated himself to keeping people safe in the water,” adding: “If we can improve safety because of him then something meaningful can come from this terrible loss.”
Maria also expressed deep grief, writing she misses him “without your laugh to warm me, your scent to ground me, your touch to steady me.”
Maria and Mercury’s twin brother Mike have been advocating for stronger shark mitigation since his death, meeting with NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty, who said fast-tracking drones and training board-rider clubs is “a significant contribution to honouring his legacy.”
Scott Pendlebury’s attempt to recover an alleged missing $3 million has suffered a major blow after administrators found his former business partner Jason Sourasis’ company, Jaszac Investments, is effectively insolvent.
According to The Herald Sun,an ASIC report shows the firm has $80 million in debts and just $224 in the bank, with administrator Brent Morgan advising that “the most appropriate course of action would be for creditors to vote in favour of placing the company into liquidation.”
He added: “The company is clearly insolvent.”
The creditors’ meeting coincides with the first Supreme Court hearing between Pendlebury and Sourasis, whom the AFL star accuses of withdrawing $3 million “without his knowledge”.
Sourasis denies wrongdoing, claiming texts and emails show Pendlebury approved investments linked to Western United, which is now facing its own financial crisis.
The report notes Jaszac’s claimed $120 million in assets – mostly loans tied to Western United – appear “substantially overstated” and “largely unrecoverable”. If liquidated, only the ATO and secured creditor Theodore Andriopoulos are likely to recover funds.
Administrators also warned the company may have traded while insolvent since 2019. Sourasis declined to comment.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia has emerged as one of the standout titles in this year’s Golden Globes race, with the 2026 nominations recognising the film’s singular creative force and earning it three major nods.
The darkly comic, genre-bending feature – starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons – secured nominations for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy; Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for Stone; and Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for Plemons.
Stone paid tribute to the filmmaker at the heart of the project, saying: “Feeling very grateful for our Bugonia team today, and to the Golden Globes for our nominations.”
“Working on Bugonia was such a wild and completely singular experience, and getting to make it with Jesse, whose nomination is so deserved, was incredible,” Stone added.
“None of this would exist without Will Tracy’s amazing script, and Yorgos Lanthimos’ visionary direction, brilliant mind and huge heart. I’m so grateful to our entire cast and crew, and to have been lucky enough to be part of this film.”
Bugonia, one of the most anticipated films of Lanthimos’ recent career surge following Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, now positions the director once again at the centre of awards-season momentum.
His unmistakably offbeat sensibility has resonated strongly with critics and voters, and the Globes recognition places the film firmly on the path towards further accolades in early 2026.
The winners will be announced on 11 January at a ceremony hosted by Nikki Glaser.
Greek farmers staged nationwide protests on Monday, December 8 shutting the runway at Heraklion airport, blocking key roads and border crossings, and clashing with police over severe delays to EU and government payments.
Police used tear gas after protesters forced their way onto the runway, while others near Chania airport smashed police vehicle windows. Authorities say those involved will be charged.
The anger follows a €600 million shortfall in farm subsidies, linked to a corruption scandal involving falsified land claims. Audits have since slowed payments, worsening conditions for farmers already hit by a major sheep pox outbreak.
“We don’t have help, climate change has influenced production a great deal, all of this with the (corruption) scandal – people who have nothing to do with the profession are getting enormous amounts,” said Lesvos farmer Prokopis Bandzis.
“I want there to be justice. Those involved with the illegal subsidies need to account for (their actions).”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged farmers to end the blockades and promised €3.7 billion in payments this year, but disruption continued at border crossings and ports across northern, central and island regions.
“Where are we at home?” Associate Professor Raul Sánchez-Urribarri asked as he opened the launch of Dr Konstandina Dounis’ monumental bilingual volume, A New History of Greek-Australian Literature. His voice carried both scholarship and longing.
“Every time I hear the name Maracaibo,” he said of his Venezuelan birthplace, “something moves in my heart.”
Home, he reminded the overflowing crowd at the Greek Community of Melbourne, is rarely a single place. Quoting philosopher Agnes Heller, he noted that “sometimes home is where your cat sleeps.” Migrants, he added, often live “in a state of transit,” and that is precisely where Dounis’ work lands.
“Konstandina, you help us think through these shifting levels of home… you’ve written something truly universal,” he said.
Raul Sánchez-Urribarri.
If Sánchez-Urribarri mapped the inner geography of migration, Agapi Pashos of the Greek Democritus Workers League pulled the room firmly back to the lived, working-class terrain from which Greek Australian literature emerged.
“Our literature was not forged in salons,” she said, “but in factories, workshops, kitchens and fields.”
Agapi Pashos of the Greek Democritus Workers League.
She conjured early migrant writers vividly: “Men and women who left a country ravaged and hungry […] They wrote in secret: stanzas scribbled in toilets so the supervisor wouldn’t see, ideas jotted on napkins during breaks.”
Then came the line that summed up the importance of Konstantina’s work: “This book is not just a book, it is a collective monument of memory.”
Her tribute widened until it belonged to everyone in the room: “Konstandina doesn’t just lift her own voice. She lifts the voices of an entire community. This book says: We were here. We worked. We dreamed. We wrote.”
Dr Stephie Nikoloudis, Head of Greek Studies at La Trobe University, positioned the volume within Australia’s wider literary landscape. The bilingual format, she said, is itself an intervention: “In a country we call multicultural and multilingual, such efforts are important, necessary and welcome.”
Keynote speakers Raul Sánchez-Urribarri and Stephie Nikoloudis.
She traced the emotional shift between generations of migrant writers: from the nostalgia of those who lived here without their parents to the identity negotiations of those born or raised here. Most crucially, she emphasised the book’s spotlight on “the literature of women that has, until now, been almost unknown.”
When Dr Dounis finally spoke, she revealed the book’s rocky path: a publisher who sat on her manuscript for two years before saying, “Oh no, we’re not publishing that anymore.”
“I think I cried for a week,” she admitted. “It felt like the book’s future had died.”
Konstandina Dounis.
But her husband, Christos Avramoudas, who spent 25 years on the factory floor, urged her to self-publish. Together they created Sea River Press (the logo representing the Bay in Melbourne Yarra River and the Milopotamos in Evia that runs into the sea).
“Everything in this book is by specific design,” she said. “I wanted something short and sharp, something a reader could absorb in one sitting if they wanted to get a good overview of Greek Australian literature.”
The book ends with a huge honour roll – an expansive bibliography and a photo gallery that is Konstantina’s “show of respect to the unsung heroes of Greek Australian literature.”
Her promise? She said history can never be definitive. It is expanding, evolving, transforming. In a real sense, this book is only Part 1.
“In a couple of weeks, 50 (first generation migrant) writers will receive an email from me about this second anthology,” she said.
Community leaders of the five groups that backed the launch echoed that sentiment in a series of warm, heartfelt tributes woven seamlessly through the program rather than delivered as formal speeches.
Nick Dallas of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) called Dounis “a quiet achiever… a pillar of our community.” Cathy Alexopoulos of the Greek Australian Cultural League praised the book’s “invaluable insight and in-depth research” while John Sachinidis of the Hellenic Writers Association honoured her dedication to ensuring “our writers will not be lost nor forgotten.”
Varvara Ioannou, founder of the Food for Thought Network, spoke of a relationship “tested and strengthened over decades,” calling Dounis “a woman of perseverance and extraordinary attention to detail.”
Varvara Ioannou from the Food for Thought Network.
And the Democritus Workers League, through the fiery and moving words of Ms Pashos, reasserted the book’s commitment to the working-class writers whose voices carried the earliest expressions of the migrant condition.
Throughout, Master of Ceremonies Dina Gerolymou threaded voices and stories into a seamless whole. And Anthea Sidiropoulos performed three songs that filled the room with warmth and energy while audience members listened, learnt and enjoyed a luncheon at the back of the room.
Dr Konstandina Dounis and Dina Gerolymou.Musician Anthea Sidiropoulos and MC Dina Gerolymou
Meanwhile, Dounis’ daughter, Sophia Avramoudas who stood by her parents’ efforts in promoting Greek Australian literature, sold copies of the book as they flew off the shelves – an intergenerational passing of the torch in real time.
Sophia Avramoudas and Christos Avramoudas, Konstandina’s daughter and husband.
A New History of Greek-Australian Literature is more than a history. It is a home – built for those who wrote, those who remember, and those still seeking to belong.
The Pontian community of Sydney gathered in Earlwood on Friday, December 5 for a moving opening ceremony marking 45 years since the purchase of the Pontian House, the cultural hub that has served as a second home for the Pontian Association of NSW, Pontoxeniteas, for generations.
Hosted by youth MCs Eleni Lambousis and Zoe Karatasis, the night opened with acknowledgements of Country, followed by a warm welcome to dignitaries including Canterbury MP and NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis, and Canterbury–Bankstown Councillor Clare Raffan, along with representatives of Pontian organisations from Melbourne, Greece and across Australia.
All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
The Pontian community of Sydney gathered in Earlwood on Friday, December 5 for a moving opening ceremony marking 45 years since the purchase of the Pontian House. All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.
Hosted by youth MCs Eleni Lambousis and Zoe Karatasis.
A milestone 45 years in the making
Pontoxeniteas NSW President Maria Anthony delivered an emotional address, reminding attendees that it was 29 November 1980 when community elders first purchased the building that became the Pontian House.
She honoured the founders’ vision and sacrifice, noting that countless volunteer hours and financial hardship went into securing a permanent cultural home for Pontians in Sydney.
Maria Anthony.
“This is all about celebrating the Pontian House… and everyone who worked tirelessly to pay this building off,” she said, paying tribute to the pioneers who ensured future generations could “have a place to call the Pontian House.”
Ms Anthony also pointed out rare archival photographs on display, including one of the property on the day it was purchased – now preserved as part of the club’s history.
The old archival photo of the Pontian House.
The exhibition.
A message of remembrance and responsibility
Minister Cotsis delivered a heartfelt speech reflecting on the shared refugee histories of migrant communities and the moral duty to preserve memory.
She praised the Pontian community for its strong youth engagement and its commitment to justice, democracy and cultural survival.
Sophie Cotsis MP.
“We have an obligation to those who died, to our family members who fought for freedom and justice… We must impart their stories to our children and grandchildren,” she said.
Ms Cotsis also presented the club with a formal speech she delivered in NSW Parliament acknowledging the 45-year milestone and the Pontian House’s significance to the state’s multicultural story.
Ms Cotsis also presented the club with a formal speech she delivered in NSW Parliament.
Council recognition for a thriving cultural home
Councillor Raffan offered warm congratulations, praising the Pontian youth for their dedication to cultural continuity.
“There are a lot of cultures where the youth don’t really want to continue their traditions, but the Pontian youth love coming together,” she said, noting the group’s strong social media presence and community spirit.
She added that Earlwood and Undercliffe were “all the richer” for having the Pontian House as part of their cultural landscape.
Canterbury–Bankstown Councillor Clare Raffan.
Honouring the past presidents
In a significant moment of reflection, organisers read the names of past presidents who shaped the club across decades. This included:
Vasili Pairidis
Helen Macris
The late Alekos Tsevekidis (represented)
The late Christos Paschalidis (represented)
The late Elefterios Gavriilidis (represented)
Dimitrios Koukidis
Stefanos Papadopoulos
The late George Tsaousidis
The late Athanasios Tsakiridis
George Tseneklidis
The late Aristidis Melissopoulos
Simon Konstantinidis
The acknowledgment highlighted the intergenerational legacy that continues to define the Pontian House.
Historic partnership signed
One of the evening’s most symbolic milestones was the signing of a cooperation and partnership agreement between Enosis Pontion Kalamaria (Greece) and Pontoxeniteas NSW, represented by visiting delegates from Greece and President Ms Anthony.
The signing was met with enthusiastic applause as attendees witnessed a formal strengthening of global Pontian ties.
The signing of a cooperation and partnership agreement between Enosis Pontion Kalamaria (Greece) and Pontoxeniteas NSW.
Youth voices: ‘A living legacy‘
Members of the Youth Committee, Kosta Papoulidis and Theo Mouganidis, delivered a powerful joint reflection on what the Pontian House means to young Pontians today.
“This home has carried the stories, footsteps and traditions of those who came before us,” they said.
“We are committed to preserving our dances, our culture, our history and the spirit of our ancestors so future generations can continue to feel at home just as we do.”
Kosta Papoulidis and Theo Mouganidis.
Art competition celebrates young talent
As part of the 45-year celebrations, the organisation launched its first youth art competition, attracting entries from Sydney and Melbourne.
Twin sisters Constance and Cleo Mystakidis tied for first place in the under-10 category for their matching artworks, while the over-10 winner – an artwork honouring the late dance teacher Tony Iakomidis – was announced in absentia.
Certificates of participation were presented to all young artists present, with organisers praising the initiative as a meaningful new tradition.
Certificates of participation were presented to all young artists present.
A night of pride, emotion and community spirit
The evening concluded with thanks from the committee and an invitation for attendees to explore the historical displays prepared for the anniversary.
What began in 1980 as a modest vision by a small group of determined migrants has grown into a thriving cultural institution – one that continues to educate, unite and inspire Pontians across generations.
Friday’s opening ceremony was not just a celebration of 45 years of the Pontian House – it was a tribute to survival, identity, memory and the enduring power of community.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos
The Pontian Association of NSW, Pontoxeniteas, marked 45 years of the Pontian House in Earlwood, Sydney on Saturday, December 6 with a sold-out dinner dance at The Grand Vaudeville in Condell Park, bringing together generations of Pontians and friends for a night many described as “a reunion”.
While celebrations officially opened on Friday night with an exhibition launch and the signing of a partnership agreement between Pontoxeniteas NSW and Enosis Pontion Kalamaria, it was Saturday’s dinner dance that became the big family gathering – childhood friends reuniting, parents and grandparents reminiscing, and younger members experiencing the club that shaped so many lives.
‘More than bricks and walls’
Master of Ceremonies Esta Paschalidis-Chilas welcomed guests and invited Father Peter Mavromatis to offer a blessing, before handing over to Association President Maria Anthony for the official welcome.
Ms Anthony reflected on the history of the Pontian House – first formed as a club in 1958, and later purchased on 29 November 1980 at 15 Riverview Road, Undercliffe (now Earlwood).
“Forty-five years later, it has become more than bricks and walls,” she said. “It has been our gathering place, our cultural heartbeat and our second home – filled with treasured memories.”
She spoke movingly of being a seven-year-old running around the hall when it first opened and now serving as President 45 years on.
“With dedication and countless volunteer hours, our members and friends transformed the hall into a vibrant community clubhouse,” she said.
“Today we continue the mission our founders began, and as we celebrate this milestone, we look towards preparing the Pontian House for the next 45 years and beyond.”
Following Ms Anthony’s address, Co-President of the Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia, Peter Papoulidis, offered brief remarks in Greek. He congratulated Pontoxeniteas NSW on its 45-year milestone, acknowledged the strength of the Pontian community in Sydney, and thanked the Association for honouring its past presidents and contributors.
A message from His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia was read out by Ms Paschalidis-Chilas, praising the Pontian House as a “treasure house of Pontian language, music and dance” and acknowledging the Association’s role in preserving Pontian identity, faith and culture in Australia.
The Archbishop congratulated Ms Anthony, the Board and members of Pontoxeniteas NSW on the 45-year milestone and offered his paternal blessings for the continued flourishing of the community.
Honouring past presidents and pioneers
In a particularly emotional segment, Ms Anthony invited on stage those who have served, or whose families have served, as presidents of Pontoxeniteas NSW.
Those acknowledged included:
Vasili Pairidis
Helen Macris
The late Alekos Tsevekidis (represented)
The late Christos Paschalidis (represented)
The late Elefterios Gavriilidis (represented)
Dimitrios Koukidis
Stefanos Papadopoulos
The late George Tsaousidis
The late Athanasios Tsakiridis
George Tseneklidis
The late Aristidis Melissopoulos
Simon Konstantinidis
Further tributes were paid to long-time supporters and families who have shaped the life of the Pontian House, including George Elefteriadis, Harry Apostolidis, the late Tony Ioakimidis (with his daughter Sevvina present), Artemis and the late Chris Provatidis, Efthimios Avgetidis, Valia Anton, and the newer generation carrying the torch – Christina Ioannidou, Alexandra Delis, Sophia Karatasas and Kosta Papoulidis.
For many in the room, it was deeply touching to see past and present leaders standing together, symbolising the continuity of the Pontian spirit in Sydney.
Partnership with Enosis Pontion Kalamaria
The evening also recognised a new chapter in the Association’s international links. Guests heard that, as part of the 45-year celebrations, Pontoxeniteas NSW and the President of Enosis Pontion Kalamaria have signed a formal agreement, strengthening ties between the Sydney community and the historic Pontian heartland of Kalamaria.
The partnership was described as a meaningful bridge between generations of Pontians in Australia and Greece, particularly given Kalamaria’s significance as a place of refuge and renewal for Pontian Hellenism.
Committee, sponsors and supporters
The current committee – Ms Anthony, Nena Lambousis, Despina Koukidis, Athena Belogiannis, Kiriaki Tsavdaridis, Sophia Karatasas and Ms Paschalidis-Chilas – were invited on stage alongside Bill Pairidis and Ms Macris to cut the 45-year cake, drawing warm applause from the crowd.
Sister and brother associations from across NSW, the ACT and interstate were present, underscoring the strong bonds within the broader Hellenic community.
Music, dance and a “reunion” atmosphere
After the formalities, the night belonged to Pontian music and dance. International musicians from Greece, Thodoros Kotidis and Kostas Zois, kept the dancefloor full with traditional Pontian favourites, while the Pontoxeniteas dance groups – from juniors through to seniors – showcased the rich repertoire of Pontian dances.
For many, the most memorable moments were not just on stage but in the crowd – old friends embracing after years apart, children playing where their parents once did, and multiple generations sharing the same dance circle.
As one guest observed, the 45-year celebration felt “less like an event and more like a homecoming” – a powerful reminder that the Pontian House is, and remains, a second home for Pontians in Sydney.
A young Greek Australian girl living with Joubert Syndrome has received a deeply moving Christmas surprise, after being invited by Make-A-Wish Australia to collect a specially designed “Tree of Joy” created in her honour.
The tree, decorated by the team at Austbrokers Countrywide, was tailored specifically to Andrianna’s interests.
“As soon as we saw this Christmas Tree, tears of joy and overwhelmed gratitude came upon us seeing how much thoughtfulness, time and effort was put into designing this tree specifically for Andrianna and her interests,” her family said.
The Christmas tree was adorned with Disney princess ornaments, flowers, and bows, and accompanied by “heaps of beautiful Disney themed Christmas gifts.” Her older brother and sister were also gifted presents.
Joubert Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects brain development, often leading to challenges with coordination, muscle tone, breathing, and developmental milestones, making community support especially meaningful for families.
“Saying just a thank you to these two amazing organisations and all the others that were there volunteering their time doesn’t seem adequate enough,” the family said.
“We have been touched deeply by your generosity and can’t say thank you enough for the amazing and beautiful loving gifts you have bestowed upon Andrianna.”
They added, “Thank you agin from all of us and may you all have a beautiful and blessed Christmas.”
The Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney & NSW has celebrated another successful Cherry Picking Weekend, with members enjoying two days of food, fellowship and festive tradition in Young and Canberra.
President Peter Psomas praised the experience, stating: “A delightful weekend of Cherry Picking in Young filled with lots of laughter, BBQ on the farm, singing & dancing shared with a great group of people.”
The trip began early Saturday, with the group departing Mytilenian House at 6am for Allambie Orchard, where participants spent the morning cherry picking before enjoying a relaxed BBQ lunch on the farm.
Travellers then continued to Canberra for an overnight stay and group dinner.
On Sunday, members attended the Divine Liturgy for the feast day of St Nicholas at the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Canberra, followed by the church’s annual Paniyiri featuring food, music and community celebration.
