Two hundred and forty guests – including the Greek Ambassador to Australia Haris Dafaranos – enjoyed a night of entertaining oratory last Thursday, as Greek Australian politicians and celebrities turned out in force in the South Australian capital to argue for – and against – the fundamental proposition that ‘Greeks do it better’.
The motion – proposed by Senator Nick Xenophon, federal Victorian MP Maria Vamvakinou, and the ABC’s Costa Georgiadis – was narrowly carried, despite the best efforts of actor and comedian George Kapiniaris, SA Minister Tom Koutsantonis and former Liberal minister Amanda Vanstone – who sought to deny what some would swear is a universal truth.
Presided over by philhellene Michael Abbott AO QC to ensure both teams played by the rules, the wily presenters used every trick in the book to support or denigrate the proposition, with advocates of the motion saying that Greeks had proved world class at everything – from excelling in the culinary arts to creating financial disasters.
Those opposing chose to bring up various behaviours – including going to war over a woman (Helen of Troy) rather than wealth or natural resources – as evidence to the contrary.
Reflecting on the night, George Kapiniaris – who also acted as MC and smashed plates to signify if a speaker was running over their allotted time – told Neos Kosmos:
“It was a big night. My favourite moment was when, just before I went on, our captain Amanda Vanstone said to me ‘Kill ’em!’. Those politicians really like winning.”
Asked if there was one thing Greeks did do better, the Melbourne comic said “we turn up late better, we don’t stop talking better, and we don’t listen to people better”.
“It was great fun. It did raise money because we weren’t paid very much.”
The irrepressible Costa Georgiadis clearly had a good night too. The hirsute Gardening Australia host took to Facebook shortly afterwards, saying that he needed “intense rib therapy”, having laughed so much.
“I gently reminded our learned colleagues on the negative side that lasagna is in fact a re-badge of the Greek timeless creation pastitsio – among other subtle and not so subtle points,” said the ABC presenter.
Maria Vamvakinou said that her argument in support of the motion was based on the incontrovertible fact that “Greeks can talk their way into and out of anything, and don’t like to be bothered with processes”.
The Federal Member for Calwell applauded the event’s organisers for staging the event. “It was fun, witty and a good idea,” she said.
The Great Debate was organised by The Foundation for Hellenic Studies and followed the South Australian launch of Justice Emilios Kyrou’s book Call me Emilios.
The evening raised $30,000 for the development of an online program for the teaching of Modern Greek being developed by the LOGOS Australian Centre for Greek Language and Culture, part of the Department of Language Studies at Flinders University.