Monthly Archives: February 2014

The second instalment of the hugely successful ‘Diaspora Concert Series’, Diaspora II will be showcased, featuring songs and influences from the whole Mediterranean.

The second instalment in the hugely successful ‘Diaspora Concert Series’, Diaspora II will be showcased, featuring songs and influences from the whole Mediterranean, in an event entitled A Night of Mediterranean passion.

Created to express and reflect the emotions and memories of the collective diaspora, the concert Diaspora II has a resonating Mediterranean love theme, and features Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and Greek songs about love and passion. The songs have been especially arranged for this performance, and combine traditional and classical string instruments, vocalists and talented instrumental soloists.

The Diaspora Concert Series is the triumph of Apostolos Sanoulis, Musical and Artistic Director, a graduate of the renowned Musicians Institute of Hollywood, California. Expect to be exulted and enchanted by a truly unique musical experience.

Tickets are $78.75 and are available for direct purchase at www.ticketebo.com.au/diaspora2

When: Friday 28 February and Saturday 1 March Where: The John Inverarity Drama & Music Centre, Hale School, Perth To register your interest and for more information, contact George Georgiou on 0417 402 517 or email philmo@iinet.net.au

source: Neos Kosmos

Woman claims she was denied committee membership because of her gender.

A Greek woman in the Victorian town of Mildura has taken the local Orthodox Church committee to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), arguing her application to join the committee was rejected because of her gender.

Maria Bakopoulos says her application to join the 30 plus member committee was unfairly dismissed and internal pleas to review the decision fell on deaf ears.

She says the lack of communication and wiggle room from the community on the matter pushed her to eventually get a hearing heard by VCAT last Thursday.

Based on the church’s constitution, everyone is free to apply to become a financial member but approval rests at the committee’s discretion. Bill Stamation, a financial committee member who fronted the tribunal, told Neos Kosmos the decision to reject Ms Bakopoulos’ application was “unanimous by the committee” and was not “based on gender”.

He declined a number of times to say what exactly contributed to the application’s rejection to Neos Kosmos. The committee took the same stance at the tribunal, saying they do not need to disclose the reasoning behind the decision.

Out of the 30 plus financial committee members currently elected, not one is female.

Mr Stamation says he hasn’t received an application from a female member of the Greek community because he believes they are happy being a part of the philoptochos women’s society of Mildura.

The women’s society has no say in how the committee spends its funds or what they do with their property. Ms Bakopoulos was compelled to become a financial committee member after she was denied access to the church for her father’s memorial, which she had booked months in advance.

She says they argued there was no one available to open the church and hall because the committee was too busy preparing for a paniyri at the time. “Let me become a member of the committee and I will open it if it’s just a technicality,” Ms Bakopoulos remembers telling Bill Stamation when the incident happened.

She says he said to her “No, no, no way, you can’t open it and I’ll let you know about it.”

“It was just the usual round the bush,” she tells Neos Kosmos.

Ms Bakopoulos had to travel more than 100km to the nearest Orthodox Church in South Australia to have her late father’s six month memorial.

She was told by family not to take the matter further lest the committee choose to close the church again at the year anniversary of her father’s death. “If they’ve done this then they will not let us have a funeral or something,” she says.

Despite the church in Mildura not having a permanent parish priest, it gets by from a roster of travelling nearby priests who fill big dates and when they’re needed for baptisms, weddings and funerals.

Ms Bakopoulos says she had a priest organised and ready for her father’s memorial dates, but the committee wouldn’t budge in opening the church. For anyone trying to get in contact with the church, its number listed on the Greek Orthodox parish directory is not connected and the phone number listed for its hall rings out.

Ms Bakopoulos was told the committee would be in touch but that never happened.

“It’s a closed shop… [they] never advertised about meetings,” she says.

“I feel like they’ve locked us out for too long.

“Enough is enough, it’s about time that we progressed with the times.”

At the tribunal last week, Ms Bakopoulos says many members of the Greek community of Mildura packed the room to support her. The tribunal will release a final ruling in the coming months.

source: Neos Kosmos

Astoria Cafe, Newcastle, NSW, late 1940s. The Greek Australian presence in small businesses is part of the history of the community and of the wider national history of Australia.

The need to teach our own Greek Australian history in all schools offering Greek as a subject.

With another school year having just started, the education issues of concern to students, parents and teachers are clearly many and pressing, on a national, state and community level. These issues are requiring mass support for progressive policies, at least as legislated for by the Gillard government, if the benefits of education are not to bypass and leave behind the great majority of children who cannot afford to buy one.

The current national debate and fight, if you like, as to new and regressive reforms proposed by the Abbott government strikes at the very heart of what kind of an education system and human society we need and deserve. What is taught at schools and how well funded or otherwise schools are is a subject of never ending concern, of social and class politics, about which Greek Australians cannot afford to be silent.

In their great majority, children of Greek Australian descent attend government schools which the Abbott government is trying to further disadvantage in comparison to their favourite private schools. Greek is taught to a minority and declining number of state schools, after hours community, church and private schools and a handful of Greek Community and church colleges. As is often and correctly stated, the viability of Greek and other community languages depends above all on the integration of these languages in the curriculum and their teaching in the child’s day school.

In this short article I wish to raise the question of when the last time was that there has been a thorough review of what is taught in the Greek classes in all these schools.

How relevant the Greek curriculum is to children born and raised in Australia with Greek being a second or even ‘foreign’ language. I know of many attempts over the years to address these issues with some good outcomes, assisted by diasporic and local Greek academics.

However, in none of these reviews and subsequent publication there has been any significant reference to Greek Australian history, the struggles for settlement, social justice, language, cultural maintenance and the fight against racism.

This sense and knowledge of history, made in fact by people, organisations and movements, many during our lifetime, is so obviously invaluable to knowing and reinforcing our distinct presence in Australia, our involvement in the nation’s affairs, in the creation and development of Greek Australian Communities and the flourishing of multiculturalism.

The Greek Australian Communities, as the largest and democratic Greek Australian institutions, should lead in the undertaking of such review, assisted by Greek Australian historians, academics, teachers, other experts, and representatives of the education authorities. Funding should be sought from state and the federal governments. Not long ago, the state governments of South Australia and Victoria jointly funded the production of learning materials by local teachers for the teaching of Greek in schools.

But even without such funding I am sure there will be qualified people from within our own communities to volunteer for this review to include, among other changes, what is missing most – the Greek Australian history in the teaching of Greek, a task only we in Australia can and should undertake. I am certainly willing to assist.

*George Zangalis is a former trade unionist.

source: Neos Kosmos

Candidate said to have addressed Cretan party rally where MP did Nazi salute.

The Greek Police has launched an internal investigation following reports that a police officer on the island of Crete is to stand as a candidate on the ticket of neofascist Golden Dawn in local authority elections in May, reports said Monday.

The candidate, who was not named, addressed a party gathering on Sunday at the port of Hersonissos, according to local reports. Televised footage from the event has been given to a prosecutor.

The same event was attended by Golden Dawn MP Michalis Arvanitis who used a Nazi salute to greet party supporters. The incident caused an uproar on social media but Arvanitis responded that the salute was an ancient Greek gesture, not a Nazi one, as party officials have insisted in the past.

The party is to run under the name National Dawn in the elections as nine of its MPs already face criminal charges and the remaining nine are to be charged with forming a criminal organization.

Party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, one of the nine MPs already charged with membership of a criminal organization, was present at the Hersonissos event along with other MPs.

In a related development, it emerged that the evidence collected by magistrates to support their request for the parliamentary immunity of the remaining nine GD MPs to be lifted contains testimony from a former party member who claims he was stabbed several times last year after quitting the group.

source: Neos Kosmos

Για δεύτερη φορά μέσα σε τρεις μήνες ο Αυστραλός πρωθυπουργός, Τόνι Άμποτ, βρέθηκε σε εκδήλωση Ελλήνων της Αυστραλίας.

Μετά την παρουσία του στο Φεστιβάλ «Αντίποδες» της Μελβούρνης ο κ. Άμποτ έκανε σήμερα την επίσημη έναρξη του Ελληνικού Φεστιβάλ του Σίδνεϊ στο Darling Harbour.

Εκτιμάται ότι δεκάδες χιλιάδες άτομα πέρασαν από την διήμερη εκδήλωση που έγινε στο κέντρο της πόλης.

Η μεγαλύτερη πόλη της Αυστραλίας ντύθηκε στα γαλανόλευκα και έζησε ένα έντονο ελληνικό Σαββατοκύριακο.

Το πρόγραμμα περιελάμβανε πληθώρα μουσικοχορευτικών εκδηλώσεων, περιπτέρων, γεύσεων και πολλών άλλων ενώ τραγούδησε και η γνωστή ερμηνεύτρια Κωνσταντίνα.

Τον αρχηγό της αξιωματικής ομοσπονδιακής αντιπολίτευσης εκπροσώπησε ο Τόνι Μπερκ ενώ παρευρέθηκαν ακόμα ο ομογενής υφυπουργός Οικονομικών Αθανάσιος Συνοδινός και ο Φιλελεύθερος βουλευτής, Ν. Βαρβαρής.

Τον πολιτειακό πρωθυπουργό της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας, εκπροσώπησε ο γερουσιαστής Ντέϊβιντ Κλαρκ ενώ παρευρέθηκε και ο αρχηγός του Εργατικού κόμματος Τζον Ρόμπερτσον και η ομογενής γερουσιαστής Σοφία Κότση.

Μεταξύ των προσκεκλημένων ήταν ο ομογενής υπουργός Πολυπολιτισμού της Βικτώριας, Κυριάκος Γκολντ, ο Τζακξ Πασσαρής που εκπροσώπησε τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο κ. Στυλιανό, πολλοί δήμαρχοι και δημοτικοί σύμβουλοι.

Το Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ Σίδνεϊ, το οποίο φθάνει τα 32 του χρόνια, οργανώνεται από την Ελληνική Κοινότητα.

Στο φετινό πρόγραμμα μπορεί κανείς να ξεχωρίσει τις εκδηλώσεις για τα 400 χρόνια από το θάνατο του Δομήνικου Θεοτοκόπουλου (Ελ Γκρέκο), τη δραματοποίηση της δίκης του Σωκράτη, την παρουσίαση βιβλίου για τον Καβάφη, την ομιλία για τον Ερρίκο Σλήμαν, την παρουσίαση έρευνας για τις ελληνικές παροικίες σε χώρες από την Αλβανία μέχρι και την Ουκρανία και πολλές άλλες εκδηλώσεις.

Άξιο αναφοράς είναι ότι και η φετινή διοργάνωση περιλαμβάνει συμπράξεις με άλλους φορείς, ομογενειακούς και μη, όπως είναι το Πανεπιστήμιο του Σίδνεϊ, το Μουσείο Nicholson, το Πανεπιστήμιο Macquarie, το Λύκειο Ελληνίδων, το Αυστραλιανό Κέντρο Μελετών Αρχαίας Νομισματολογίας και άλλους οργανισμούς.

Πηγή: greekreporter.gr

Σε αναγκαστική προσγείωση αναγκάστηκε να προχωρήσει πιλότος της Etihad τη Δευτέρα το βράδυ κατά τη διάρκεια της πτήσης απο τη Μελβούρνης στο Abu Dhubi, όταν εντοπίστηκε φωτιά σε δύο τουαλέτες.

Στο αεροσκάφος επέβαιναν και ορισμένοι Έλληνες καθ’ οδόν προς την Αθήνα.
Μετά την εξονυχιστική εξέταση το αεροσκάφος με τους τρομοκρατημένους επιβάτες συνέχισε την πτήση του, δύο ώρες όμως πριν την προγραμματισμένη προσγείωση, και παρά τα δρακόντεια μέτρα, εντοπίστηκε και τρίτη φωτιά σε μια από τις πίσω τουαλέτες του αεροπλάνου.
Στενή παρακολούθηση των επιβατών που χρησιμοποιούσαν τις τουαλέτες, οδήγησε στο να κρατηθούν δώδεκα επιβάτες μεταξύ των οποίων τέσσερις Αυστραλοί οι οποίοι, αργότερα αφέθηκαν ελεύθεροι και τελικά μία εικοσάχρονη να είναι η πλέον ύποπτη και να κρατείται για περαιτέρω ανάκριση.

Πηγή: greekreporter.gr

Ο θεσμός του γάμου φαίνεται πως κλονίζεται και στις τάξεις της ομογένειας, ακολουθώντας τις γενικότερες τάσεις της αυστραλιανής κοινωνίας.

Σύμφωνα με τελευταία στοιχεία της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής οι γάμοι που τελέστηκαν στις ελληνορθόδοξες εκκλησίες της Μελβούρνης παρουσίασαν μείωση 50% την τελευταία δεκαετία.

Συγκεκριμένα το 2002 έγιναν 935 γάμοι σε ελληνικές εκκλησίες της Μελβούρνης και το 2012 περιορίστηκαν στους 580.

Ένα ποσοστό άνω του 60% απ’ αυτούς ήταν μικτοί, ενώ το 2002 οι μικτοί γάμοι ήταν κάτω του 50% (455). Άτομα ελληνικής καταγωγής που δεν παντρεύονται με ομογενείς επιλέγουν πρωτίστως άτομα ιταλικής καταγωγής για να παντρευτούν και ακολουθούν αγγλοσάξωνες και στη συνέχεια άλλες εθνότητες.

Πηγή: greekreporter.gr

Qantas is set to axe up to 5000 jobs in response to massive financial losses.

The airline is also reportedly trying to sell the lease on its terminal at Melbourne Airport.

Qantas is expected to post a loss of up to $300 million for the first half of the 2013/14 financial year when it announces its financial results on Thursday.

Job cuts, previously forecast to be 2000, are now expected to be closer to 5000, News Corp Australia reported on Monday.

It said 1500 of those jobs could come from the executive and support divisions of the Qantas group, and a large number of jobs would be abolished by the end of March.

Final job numbers could change before Thursday, the report says.

The airline has also reportedly been negotiating to sell the long-term lease for its Melbourne Airport terminal.

Sources at the airline said negotiations relating to the future of Qantas’ Melbourne lease are continuing.

Qantas last week denied market speculation it was planning to cut up to 3000 jobs, as well as shed overseas routes.

source: news.ninemsn.com.au

Με μεγάλη επιτυχία πραγματοποιήθηκε ο αγώνας της ομάδας ράγκμπι του Παναθηναϊκού με τους Άττικα Σπρίνγκμποξ στο γήπεδο της Λεωφόρου με περισσότερους από 1.500 φιλάθλους να τον παρακολουθούν.

Σε μια γιορτή για το ράγκμπι στην Ελλάδα εξελίχτηκε η αναμέτρηση ανάμεσα στον Παναθηναϊκό και τους Άττικα Σπρίνγκμποξ η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε το απόγευμα της Κυριακής στο γήπεδο της Λεωφόρου και το Sport24.gr σας βάζει στο κλίμα των όσων έγιναν στο “Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης” μέσα από βίντεο και φωτογραφίες…

When you have endured a season like Manchester United’s first under David Moyes any signs of life are sure to be welcomed with open arms.

It may have cost them £86million, but keeping Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford for the remainder of his top-level career still represents a significant victory for United and Moyes.

Quite how significant a victory Saturday’s 2-0 win over relegation threatened Crystal Palace turns out to be remains to be seen as United’s focus now shifts firmly to their last 16 Champions League encounter away to Olympiakos on Tuesday.

But in keeping a second successive clean sheet to provide the platform for Robin van Persie, from the penalty spot, and Rooney, via a sublime finish, to do the business at the other end skipper Nemanja Vidic feels United can at least look forward with a renewed sense of optimism.

‘We played solidly as a team,’ said Vidic reflecting on a job well done at Selhurst Park. ‘It is not just about the defenders, it is about the whole team and we had a good shape and defended well. If we keep a clean sheet, I always believe we will score.

‘Fourth spot is not going to be an easy task, but we play against Liverpool at Old Trafford soon and if we keep playing as we did we have a chance to do something good.  That means fourth place and the Champions League.’

The way things stand in the league United’s best hope of Champions League qualification for next season would indeed seem to rest with winning it.

But long gone are the days where United could travel to Palace resolute in the knowledge that a routine victory would be the only outcome and the same applies to taking care of Olympiakos over two legs.

On paper the Greek champions look like the easiest task to be faced by an English side, particularly now that their star striker Javier Saviola will miss the first leg with a thigh injury, while it is worth remembering that in four previous meeting United have won every game.

But such is United’s see-sawing form this season, coupled with the fact that Olympiakos have not suffered a league defeat for over a year, and nothing can be taken for granted.

Shame then that cup-tied Juan Mata cannot play, just as the Spaniard is showing signs of the kind of form which  saw him voted Chelsea’s player of the season twice in succession.

Rooney, with the ink still drying on his new £300,000-a-week-deal, may have grabbed the headlines and the man-of-the-match award thanks to his superb strike.

But it was Mata, especially as the game wore on, who largely ran the show to the understandable delight of Moyes.

‘Juan was exquisite,’ said the United manager. ‘He must have been on the ball I don’t know how many times. He was terrific in his play. Everywhere he popped up he helped us play better.’

The same can be said of Marouane Fellaini who had arguably his best game in a United shirt to date.

Meanwhile, in Mata, Rooney, Van Persie and precocious talent Adnan Januzaj, United still have a forward line to beat anyone provided Vidic and company can keep it tight at the back.

There is, of course, no bumper new deal for the United captain who seems destined to move to Inter Milan on a free transfer at the end of season.

But while he may have already given his best years to United, Vidic is still dreaming of the perfect send-off in the Champions League.

‘I believe we can do something special in the Champions League, I really do,’ he insisted. Amazing what a win over Palace can do for the confidence.

source: dailymail.co.uk