In a meeting held at the Hobsons Bay Greek Orthodox Community in Altona North last Saturday, Victoria minister Melissa Horne engaged with community leaders to address concerns surrounding the suspension of Kat Theophanous from her sub-faction within the Labor Party.
The meeting primarily focused on Kat Theophanous’ suspension from her Labor Party sub-faction, sparking concerns and considerations within the Greek and Cypriot communities.
Several key points were addressed during the discussion:
– The suspension was perceived as a deviation from the Labor Party’s established policy on the Cyprus Issue.
– Concerns were raised regarding the potential impression that the Labor Party is being influenced by its Turkish members with ties to Turkey, potentially inciting ethnic conflict.
– The suspension’s potential impact on the communities’ support for the YES campaign in an upcoming referendum, as it appears that condemnations of invasions and occupations are selectively applied.
Comparisons were drawn to a previous incident involving former MP and minister Jenny Mikakos, who faced censure for discussing the Pontian genocide in parliament, raising concerns about the participation of Greek and Cypriot women in politics.
A resounding expression of support for Kat Theophanous and the Cyprus issue from the communities was conveyed.
Minister Melissa Horne responded, expressing her deep respect for the Greek and Cypriot communities. She affirmed her “complete and unwavering support for UN resolutions on Cyprus, the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, the Labor Party’s policy on Cyprus, and the Australian federal government’s policy on Cyprus”.
The minister also committed to initiating the process of reintegrating Kat Theophanous into her faction. Initially, she suggested “a timeline of days, then a month, and finally settled on two weeks under the pressure of community representatives”.
Minister Steve Dimopoulos, also in attendance, voiced his support for the Greek and Cypriot communities, stressing that he was a signatory to the Worldwide Hellenic Parliamentarians’ motion on the Cyprus issue.
While he did not find fault with Kat Theophanous’ speech, he noted that “state parliaments lack the power to influence foreign policy”.
Alongside minister’s Horne and Dimopoulos in attendance were, acting president of the Hobsons Bay Greek Orthodox Community, Nikos Konstantinidis, General Secretary of SEKA Victoria, Pavlos Andronikos, Vice-President of the Panepirotic Federation of Australia, Dean Kalimniou, and Haris Neokleous, member of the administrative committee of SEKA Victoria.
The outcome of the meeting included:
– A clear and resolute reaffirmation of Minister Melissa Horne’s support for the communities’ stance on Cyprus.
– A commitment to reinstate Kat Theophanous within a timeframe of two weeks.
As the community leaders emphasised the need for vigilance, an email is set to follow up with the ministers from the Hobsons Bay Greek Community, outlining the understanding of the meeting and its outcomes.
