Greek Australian Constantinos Haidoussis has been sentenced to prison after police uncovered thousands of files containing child abuse material during an investigation.
The 63-year-old, from Lake Heights, appeared before the District Court in Wollongong and was sentenced for possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed through a carriage service.
Court documents stated NSW Police identified Haidoussis in March 2025 during an investigation into cryptocurrency transactions allegedly linked to the purchase of child abuse material on the dark web.
A search warrant was executed at his home, where police seized electronic devices including hard drives and a desktop computer. Investigators later accessed encrypted storage devices and found thousands of files depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
During sentencing, Judge Paul Marr said the offending involved real children who had suffered harm.
“The number of real children cannot be established accurately,” Judge Marr said, adding that possession of such material contributed to demand and encouraged the continued creation of abuse content.
The court heard Haidoussis acknowledged his offending and admitted he had an ongoing problem. Defence submissions included medical evidence relating to health conditions, but Judge Marr found it did not explain his possession of the material.
The judge said recognising the issue was an important step towards rehabilitation.
Haidoussis was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with part of the sentence suspended after eight months subject to conditions including a security deposit.
He must also comply with a two-year good behaviour bond, supervision by community corrections, treatment and rehabilitation programs, and ongoing registration requirements.
Senior figures in Greece’s ruling New Democracy party are considering calling an early election this autumn rather than waiting until 2027, as concerns grow over declining support and the rise of a new opposition force.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has publicly insisted he will complete his full term, saying “elections will be held in spring of 2027, as scheduled.” However, party officials told POLITICO discussions are underway about a possible vote in late September or October.
The debate comes as New Democracy’s support has fallen since its 2023 election victory, amid cost-of-living pressures, an EU funds fraud scandal and criticism over the government’s handling of the country’s worst rail disaster.
New Democracy remains ahead in polling, with POLITICO’s Poll of Polls placing it on 30 per cent, while the newly formed Elas party of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras sits second on 16 per cent.
Photo: Angelos Tzortsinis / AFP via Getty Images.
One senior government official said Mitsotakis had asked ministries to complete their work by late August “so that he can have the option of early elections.”
Another New Democracy official said: “Several government officials have advised Mitsotakis to bring elections forward so that the opposition doesn’t have time to re-organise itself.”
A final decision is expected after summer, with any early election likely to follow Mitsotakis’ speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair in September, where he could announce financial measures such as tax cuts and support packages.
The government has also made recent moves seen as preparing for an election, including a cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of Konstantinos Kyranakis as New Democracy’s secretary general.
Opposition party Pasok has repeatedly called for an early vote, with leader Nikos Androulakis saying: “Our country will only escape this dystopia through elections.”
Elas has also signalled that corruption will be central to its campaign, stating: “The next election, whenever it takes place, will present a clear choice: corruption or integrity.”
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, June 16, with discussions focusing on issues affecting the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox community, including the long-awaited reopening of the Holy Theological School of Halki.
Accompanied by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and Bishop Kassianos of Arabissos, Abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery of Halki, the Patriarch expressed gratitude for the opportunity to discuss the matters in a “cordial atmosphere.”
A key focus of the meeting was the future of Halki Seminary, which has been closed since 1971 following a Turkish Constitutional Court ruling that private higher education institutions had to come under state control.
The school, founded in 1844 on Heybeliada island near Istanbul, trained generations of Orthodox clergy, including Patriarch Bartholomew.
The meeting comes amid renewed discussions between the Turkish Ministry of National Education, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the possibility of reopening the institution.
“President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed Education Minister Yusuf Tekin in 2024 to examine the possibility of reopening our school,” Bartholomew said.
The issue has also gained attention ahead of next month’s NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey, which is expected to be attended by US President Donald Trump. The reopening of Halki Seminary was among the issues Trump raised during Erdogan’s visit to the White House in 2025.
“We are ready to do whatever is incumbent upon us on the Heybeliada school,” Erdogan told Trump at the time.
The meeting also took place amid ongoing tensions between Turkey and Greece over Aegean issues and minority rights.
Bartholomew has previously called for minority communities in both countries to be treated equally, saying Turkey’s Greek Orthodox citizens wanted to be regarded “not as second-class citizens.”
Turkey has historically linked the reopening of Halki Seminary to the treatment of the Muslim Turkish minority in Greece’s Western Thrace region.
South Australian lawyer and The Greek Herald journalist Peter Tantalos has been recognised for his contributions to the Greek Australian community, receiving the Young Achievers Award at the inaugural Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry South Australia (HACCI SA) Gala.
Held at the Hilton Adelaide on Friday, June 12, the black-tie event brought together business, community and cultural leaders to celebrate excellence, leadership and service within the Hellenic Australian community.
The Young Achievers Award recognises individuals whose “energy, talent and commitment gives people every confidence in the future of Hellenism” and acknowledges those already making a significant contribution to the community.
The inaugural Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry South Australia (HACCI SA) Gala.
Tantalos currently serves as Associate to the Honourable Justice Gray of the Supreme Court of South Australia, having previously worked as Associate to the Honourable Chief Justice Chris Kourakis AC. He has also served as South Australian Chair of the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association (HAL) for four years, where he is widely credited with transforming the chapter into the organisation’s most active branch nationally.
During his tenure, the South Australian chapter delivered more events and initiatives than all other state and territory chapters combined, strengthened partnerships with peak professional bodies, and prioritised youth engagement within the profession.
Beyond South Australia, Tantalos was a key organiser of the Global Summit of Hellenic Lawyers, the first international gathering of its kind, helping establish ongoing cooperation between Hellenic legal organisations in Australia, Greece, Cyprus and the United States.
He was also recognised for his work as a journalist with The Greek Herald, where he promotes community initiatives, charitable causes, educational programmes, cultural events and the achievements of Greek Australians.
Accepting the award, Tantalos thanked HACCI SA Chair Alex Demetriou, board member Kosta Koutsonas, the organisation’s board and a number of leaders within the HAL for their support and encouragement over many years.
In his speech, he reflected on the future of the Greek Australian community, referencing concerns raised by Professor Anastasios Tamis about the need for a new generation of leaders to carry forward the legacy established by Greek migrants.
“The baton will then pass to their children and grandchildren to take into their own hands the future of the Hellenic diaspora in Australia,” Tantalos said.
He warned that organisations that fail to engage younger generations risk becoming increasingly irrelevant.
“We are already seeing that organisations that fail to engage youth, where succession planning is absent, and internal disputes dominate their focus, they often struggle to remain relevant,” he said.
Peter Tantalos accepted the award on the night.
Tantalos also highlighted the unique role younger generations can play in strengthening ties between Australia and Greece.
“As the 2nd and 3rd generation of the diaspora, we are fortunate to have the opportunities that Australia has provided. We have acquired knowledge, skills and experience through Australian institutions and society,” he said.
“I believe we should use these learnings not only to preserve Hellenic culture in Australia, but also to contribute to the advancement of Greece where we can. Whether that contribution is professional, academic, entrepreneurial, philanthropic or cultural, we have an unique opportunity to act as bridges between Australia and Greece, ensuring that the legacy entrusted to us remains vibrant and enduring for generations to come.”
He also praised HACCI SA for fostering economic and professional connections between Australia and Greece and highlighted its role in advancing the Adelaide–Athens sister city relationship.
“Premier Don Dunstan once famously coined Adelaide as ‘the Athens of the South,’ and this is now manifested through HACCI’s spearheading of the development of the Adelaide – Athens sister City relationship,” he said.
The award recognises Tantalos’ longstanding commitment to legal education, civic engagement and the promotion of Hellenic heritage in Australian public life, as well as his efforts to encourage greater youth participation in community and professional organisations.
Liquidators investigating failed pub baron Jon Adgemis are examining his former Byron Bay property interests as part of ongoing efforts to trace assets linked to his collapsed hospitality empire.
Court documents reveal Adgemis previously held a 25 per cent stake in Byron Dream Holdings, a company with property interests in the Byron Bay region, before transferring his shareholding for $1 in 2022.
The transaction is among a number of dealings now under review as liquidators and bankruptcy trustees investigate Adgemis’ financial affairs following his bankruptcy last year.
A spokesman for Adgemis said he held no beneficial interest in the company and did not receive any proceeds from the arrangement.
The investigation forms part of broader efforts to recover funds for creditors after the collapse of Adgemis’ pub empire, which once controlled more than 20 venues across Sydney and Melbourne.
The retrial of Brisbane hairdresser Dmitri Stelios Papas has been scheduled for February after his first trial was declared a mistrial.
Papas, 49, has pleaded not guilty to six historical counts of sexual assault and one count of rape, involving allegations made by former employees. He denies sexually assaulting three women and raping another.
The initial Brisbane District Court trial was abandoned in its first week after Judge Dzenita Balic declared a mistrial. The case returned to court on Wednesday, June 10, with Judge Anthony Rafter listing a new trial for February.
The court heard three of the four women involved had already given recorded evidence during the first trial and would not need to repeat it.
During the previous proceedings, prosecutors argued their case relied on similarities between the women’s allegations, including claims Papas touched them unexpectedly at work and often from behind.
Defence barrister Saul Holt told the jury the salon where three of the women alleged incidents occurred had a “highly sexualised” workplace culture.
Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou has called for closer scrutiny of the City of Sydney’s plan to fast-track the $150 million Town Hall Square project, warning it could place additional pressure on struggling CBD businesses.
The concerns come after newly released City of Sydney forecasts revealed the council is expected to move from a projected $98.3 million operating surplus in 2027-28 to a $123.8 million deficit the following financial year, when major spending on the project is scheduled to begin.
The Town Hall Square development will see a block of commercial buildings opposite Sydney Town Hall demolished and replaced with a new public square in the heart of the CBD.
Nicolaou said the proposal raises important questions about the impact on Sydney’s commercial centre.
“Any proposal that risks weakening the commercial heart of Sydney must be thoroughly scrutinised,” he told The Australian.
“CBD businesses are already facing a challenging environment, with lower foot traffic, reduced discretionary spending and rising operating costs.”
He added that removing commercial properties to make way for the square could create further difficulties for nearby businesses trying to remain viable.
The project has also attracted criticism from other business and property groups. Property Council of Australia Group Executive Matthew Kandelaars questioned whether accelerating the development was the right priority in the current economic climate.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has also publicly expressed reservations, saying it was “hard to see why this project is such an urgent priority for Sydney.”
The City of Sydney has defended the proposal, maintaining that the project is fully funded under its long-term financial plan and that the projected deficit is a one-off accounting outcome linked to the write-off of buildings earmarked for demolition.
A council spokeswoman said operating surpluses were expected to return the following year and that the city’s long-term financial forecasts remain positive.
The Town Hall Square project has long been championed by Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who earlier this year successfully pushed to bring construction forward to 2028 despite earlier advice from council staff that the project should not commence until 2035 because of concerns about its financial impact.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has left the official cash rate unchanged at 4.35 per cent, opting to wait for further evidence that inflation is easing despite signs of a slowing economy.
The decision was unanimous and means interest rates will remain at their current level until at least the RBA’s next meeting in August.
The move follows recent economic data showing weaker growth and a rise in unemployment. However, the central bank said underlying inflation remains too high to justify a rate cut at this stage.
In a statement, the RBA said recent rate rises had tightened financial conditions and were beginning to have the desired effect on economic activity.
“Following the three increases in the cash rate target since the beginning of the year, financial conditions are now tighter than they were, and there are signs that the economy is slowing as expected,” the board said.
“But inflation is still too high and the board judged that it was appropriate to leave the cash rate target unchanged while it assesses the response to previous interest rate rises and the impact of the oil supply disruption.”
The RBA also pointed to ongoing uncertainty in the global economy, including instability in the Middle East, as a factor in its decision-making.
“Resolution of the conflict in the Middle East is at an early stage, and there are plausible scenarios where inflation is higher and activity lower than envisaged under the May baseline forecasts,” the board said.
The Reserve Bank will next meet on 10–11 August to reassess the outlook for inflation, employment and economic growth.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia played a key role in a landmark agreement signed on Monday, 15 June 2026, aimed at securing the future of the historic Greek Orphanage complex on Prinkipo, one of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s most significant properties.
As Chairman of the special committee established by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to study and finalise the project, Archbishop Makarios was present at the signing ceremony held at the Marasleios School building in the Phanar.
The agreement was signed by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Serdar Bilgili, Chairman of Bilgili Holding, one of Turkey’s leading real estate investment companies, in the presence of Konstantza Sbokou-Konstantakopoulou representing ENSOFI Holding, a pioneering Greek company active in sustainable tourism development and real estate investment.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate, Bilgili Holding and ENSOFI Holding will work together on the management and redevelopment of the historic site.
The signing of the agreement happened on Monday.
Also present was Panteleimon Vingas, Archon Grand Chartophylax of the Mother Church, who has coordinated the Patriarchate’s efforts concerning the Orphanage in recent years, along with senior executives from both companies. The Synodal Metropolitans, His Eminence Metropolitan Theoleptos of Iconium and His Eminence Metropolitan Gregorios of Ankara, Protosyncellus, as well as other Patriarchal officials, also attended.
The agreement forms part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s longstanding efforts to preserve and revitalise the historic Greek Orphanage on Prinkipo.
Originally built as the “Pringipos Palace” hotel, the property came into the ownership of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1903 through a donation from the great benefactress Helen Zarifi. It later operated as an orphanage and residential facility for children until its closure in 1964 by state authorities.
In 2010, following a legal challenge by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the European Court of Human Rights recognised the Patriarchate’s ownership of the property after it had been contested in Turkey. That ruling paved the way for efforts to secure the future of the historic building, which remains the only property for which the Patriarchate holds title deeds in its own name.
Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris has defended the government’s tough stance on migration, saying criticism from international organisations only reinforces his support for stricter policies.
Speaking to Action 24, Plevris said Greece would continue pursuing what he described as some of Europe’s toughest migration measures amid a rise in arrivals from eastern Libya.
“Let me tell you something: the days when bureaucrats from Brussels or the United Nations could just show up and dictate how Greece handles the migration crisis are over,” he said.
Plevris also dismissed criticism from human rights groups and UN agencies.
“Every time U.N. envoys express concern over my legislation, it makes me proud of that legislation,” he said.
“The more Amnesty International, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees or U.N. envoys are irritated by our migration policy, the more I view it as a badge of honour.”
According to Greek authorities, migrant arrivals and interceptions off Crete increased by more than 20 per cent to 5,500 in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
