A doctor, a priest and a property developer are among a number of Greeks who have made the list of the Northern Territory’s “Top 150 Most Powerful List”. The list, compiled by NT News, included over six Greek names, including two in the top 25.
The Paspaley family, famous for its pearl empire, made number 15 in the list, down five places from last year. They remain the richest family in the NT, and this year were highlighted for their energy efficient office block and their non-jewellery ventures, having branched out and shown “interest in cattle stations, city property and hotels”.
Number 22 went to John Halikos, who is shaping the look of Darwin’s CBD. The property developer has now added to his portfolio a residential tower block next to his hotel on The Esplanade.
The top five names on the list went to politicians, who heavily represented much of the top 150.
The top spot went to Col Fuller, chief executive of the Chief Minister’s Department. NT News described him as the “true power behind the Terry Mills throne”.
Andrew Liveris, cousin of the famous CEO of Dow Chemicals Andrew Liveris, made the list at number 40. The wealthy property owner and developer says he “hates being on the list”, but remained in the top 50 for his A-list property developments.
Representing the strong Greek community of the Northern Territory was Father Joel Xanthos, who moved up four places to number 101. The Greek Orthodox priest is still much loved by his congregation, and is always at the centre of Greek Australian life in the Territory.
Devoting his life to the sick earned Dr Len Notaras a place on the list at number 97. The Executive Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre helps those in the top end of the Territory and parts of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. He is also the first to treat injured asylum seekers who end up in strife in Australian waters. He might not be the most powerful person, but as NT News says, “his gracious, intelligent outlook on life [is] as effective as ever”.
Not everyone was happy with the list, with one reader commenting that none of the contenders compared to his “bleedin awesum” wife [sic].
The list doesn’t conform to just naming people, but goes as far as naming animals too.
Moving away from the norm, at number 14, NT News names the “Crocodile” as the fourteenth most powerful. “It’s a tribute to Top Enders that man a beast living in harmony – sort of,” says NT Times, pointing to a love-hate relationship. Its tourism industry relies on the crocs to bring in overseas travellers, but sadly the news is still filled with dangerous encounters of the reptilian kind. This year saw another person die at the hands of a crocodile, cementing it as still one of the most dangerous animals in the world.