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.
The winners of The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2024 will be revealed digitally on Tuesday, December 17 during a special event to be broadcast live from Doha, Qatar.
On the eve of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2024™ final between Real Madrid C.F. and CF Pachuca, and the second anniversary of the greatest-ever FIFA World Cup™ final, the world’s best players, coaches and fans for 2024 – as well as the best goals – will be revealed at 20:00 local Doha time during a gala dinner at the renowned Aspire Academy.
The dinner, which is taking place to celebrate Aspire Academy’s 20-year anniversary, will be attended by dignitaries including the FIFA President, FIFA Council members, FIFA Legends and other local and regional ambassadors and trailblazers of the beautiful game.
Terry Antonis has plays with Melbourne City FC.
As ever, fans have played a key role in choosing the winners by having a say in the destiny of several awards, including The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. All of these award winners have been decided by an equally weighted voting system between fans, the current captains and coaches of all women’s/men’s national teams and media representatives.
In addition, this year, for the first time, fans have also participated in the vote for The Best FIFA Men’s 11 and The Best FIFA Women’s 11. For each of these two selections, fans chose from a list of 77 nominated players and slotted them into one of several preset tactical formations to build their team, with the outcome weighted equally between them and an expert panel.
Voting for the new FIFA Marta Award and the FIFA Puskás Award – for the best goals in women’s and men’s football – has been split equally between fans and a panel of FIFA Legends, while the FIFA Fan Award has been chosen entirely by fans, and the recipient of the FIFA Fair Play Award has been selected by an expert panel.
Moray & Agnew Lawyers Melbourne, headed by Melbourne Managing Partner Bill Papastergiadis, recently held its highly anticipated End-of-Year client celebration. This marked a successful conclusion to the year for this preeminent law firm.
The event also marked Mr Papastergiadis’ recent appointment as Chairman of the firm’s National Executive which involves him, along with other members of the National Executive, leading the strategic vision and direction of the national firm’s future. The firm now boasts over 800 employees nationally across seven offices throughout the country.
Held at Alto Event Space at Melbourne’s historic GPO building, the event was attended by distinguished clients, legal professionals, and industry leaders. This year’s event also featured two high profile guest speakers, Bill Shorten MP and Colin Brooks MP, Minister for Development Victoria, Minister for Precincts and Minister for Creative Industries.
In his engaging and insightful speech, Mr Shorten spoke on a range of topics from the beginnings of his political career through to his recent appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra, as well as how the recent US election may impact the political landscape in Australia.
Mr Shorten, who has held prominent roles in the past, including leader of the Australian Labor Party and the Leader of the Opposition, also proudly spoke about his personal connection to the local Greek community, acknowledging its contributions to Australia, especially in areas including business, culture, and the economy. Mr Shorten noted that he regularly attends events where Mr Papastergiadis is also present in his role as the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne.
“Bill is an enthusiastic and articulate leader in our State wearing a number of hats which include law, football, and Community matters. Our exchanges are always constructive and productive,” Mr Shorten noted.
In an equally thoughtful and dynamic speech, Mr Brooks shared his insights from his experience in his current portfolios in areas including community services, housing, and social policy. He noted that he met Mr Papastergiadis in his role as the Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission and stated “that investing in multiculturalism is a fundamental building block for Victoria’s continued prosperity.”
Mr Brooks added, “It is the concerted effort and diligence of persons such as Bill Papastergiadis in their community work that helps solidify the social fabric of our society.”
Mr Brooks went on to talk through the strategy of the current Housing Platform of the Allan State Government. He discussed how the government is encouraging the construction of more housing in the areas where people grew up in. The Minister emphasised the importance of policies that take into account the intrinsic value to society of different generations living in the same neighbourhood, and the cohesion this brings to society and families.
On the night, Mr Papastergiadis expressed heartfelt thanks to Moray & Agnew’s clients for their continued support throughout the year.
“This event is a chance for us to express our appreciation for our clients and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside you,” he said.
“We are also proud to have had Mr Shorten and Mr Brooks attend this event and for sharing their insights with us. This event not only allows us to show our appreciation, but it also provides us all with an invaluable opportunity to hear from leading voices in Australia.”
As part of the celebration, Mr Papastergiadis highlighted some key achievements of the firm over the past year, including its significant growth. The firm’s Melbourne office now boasts over 200 staff including 30 partners and has been rated as one of the fastest growing law firms in Victoria for a number of years.
The appointment of eight new partners and their teams in the past 18 months alone extended the firm’s services to include mining, renewable energy, marine insurance, and franchising and opens up a number of new jurisdictions for its practices.
Mr Papastergiadis concluded by emphasising that connections across one’s personal life and in commerce are critical to success, stating “Moray & Agnew brings together our clients with the aim of forging stronger relationships at all levels of our interactions such that outcomes are achieved to the clients’ satisfaction.”
Nick Pappas, chairman of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and president of the Hellenic Initiative Australia, has been appointed as a non-executive director of the SBS board for a five-year term. He takes over from Peeyush Gupta, who departed in October.
Pappas holds prominent positions across various sectors, including as chair and director of the Bank of Sydney. He is also a director of Sydney’s Hellenic Club and Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum and previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Powerhouse Museum.
A commercial litigation lawyer for four decades, Pappas is well-regarded for his contributions to the legal, cultural, and sporting communities.
In 2013, Pappas was named a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the arts, rugby league, and the Greek Australian community.
In 2013, Nick Pappas was named a Member of the Order of Australia.
His appointment to the SBS board was recommended through a merit-based process led by the independent Nomination Panel.
Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland welcomed Pappas’ appointment, saying she looked forward to working with him to maintain SBS’s role in “producing and broadcasting content that is informative and entertaining and reflects a modern, multicultural Australia.”
Ms Rowlands highlighted the importance of the board’s role in supporting SBS’s charter to promote cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity in Australian media.
The SBS board is chaired by George Savvides and includes non-executive directors Cassandra Wilkinson, Katrina Rathie, Aaron Fa’Aoso, Andrew Lu, Vic Alhadeff, and deputy chair Christine Zeitz, alongside SBS managing director James Taylor.
With nearly 16,000 students completing their South Australian Certificate of Excellence (SACE) qualification this year, 11 managed to receive a perfect 99.95 ATAR result.
Among the 11 high achievers was Wilderness School graduate Lilianna Pourgiezis. The 17-year-old told The Advertiserthat Year 12 was “the hardest year of my life but also the best year.”
“It’s stressful because it’s the first time it matters… your whole future kind of rides on it,” she said, while adding that a balanced life was the key to her success.
“Don’t get caught in the weird understanding that it’s just study, study, study.”
With nearly 16,000 students completing their SACE qualification this year, 11 managed to receive a perfect 99.95 ATAR result.
Lilianna said she hopes to study medicine at The University of Adelaide as both of her parents studied it there. Ever since she dissected a heart in Year 10 Biology, she has had her own heart set on a career in medicine.
“It would be nice to keep it in the family,” she said.
Lilianna received the Governor of South Australia Commendations for Excellence in SACE award on Monday, December 16.
Two more Greek Australian artists, Maree Mamalis and Vassy, have submitted entries to represent Greece at Eurovision 2025.
They join Leea Nanos as part of the top 60 contenders for Greece’s national final, which will be held on 29 January 2025. The winner will be selected through a combination of public voting (50%), a Greek jury (25%), and an international jury (25%).
Maree Mamalis, an 18-year-old Melbourne-based singer, gained recognition as a top 7 contestant on The Voice Australia in 2023 and performed at the AFL Grand Final with the Kiss Choir. Her entry for Eurovision features a contemporary sound infused with Greek elements, including the bouzouki.
Vassy (Vasiliki Karagiorgos), a globally successful singer-songwriter from Darwin in the Northern Territory, has collaborated with music heavyweights like David Guetta, Tiësto, and KSHMR, with her songs amassing billions of streams. She became the first woman to win an ICON Award at the 2023 Electronic Dance Music Awards.
Australia has a strong track record of Cypriot Australian artists participating in Eurovision, with Andrew Lambrou and Silia Kapsis representing Cyprus in recent years.
Greek broadcaster ERT will select up to 12 finalists for the January show, with broadcast details to be announced later.
