Alison Duncan, Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, returned home for meetings in Canberra and used the opportunity to strengthen engagement with the Greek Australian diaspora—an essential force in enhancing bilateral ties.
While Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney (home to Australia’s largest Greek communities) are regular stops, this time Duncan extended her visits to the Northern Territory and Western Australia. On a previous visit, she also focused on Adelaide.
Perth: Shipping, resources, and new alliances
Last week in Perth, she met with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA, Austal, and Pilbara Ports to discuss trade and investment opportunities in Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria. “It was fabulous to see state and local government leaders, as well as some of the wonderful diaspora in WA doing great things in business, politics and education,” she posted on LinkedIn.
In Perth, she met with Dr Elena Limnios, Director of Limnios Property Group and President of HACCI WA; Dr Athanasios Gaitatzis, Head of Epilepsy Research at the Perron Institute; John Konstantopoulos, co-founder of health tech company Artrya; Harry Karelis, investor and Chairman at Gemelli Group; John Georgiou, major property developer; and Basil Zempilas, Leader of the WA Liberal Opposition.
The Ambassador explored potential investments aligned with Greece’s push to decarbonise its shipping sector—vital for a nation that controls 25 per cent of the global fleet. Austal, a global defence contractor and shipbuilder, has its HQ in Henderson, WA, and may be poised to seek opportunities in Greece as the country modernises its maritime defence and commercial fleets. As a major global supplier of critical minerals, WA also aligns with Greece’s shift toward renewables and infrastructure development, particularly across its 227 inhabited islands, many of which face water shortages.
Darwin: Compact and vital Greek community
In Darwin—where around 10 per cent of the population claims Greek ancestry—Ambassador Duncan met with leaders including Professor Len Notaras AM of Charles Darwin University; Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis; Mayor of Palmerston Athina Pascoe-Bell; and business leader Angela Tomazos.
Sydney: A chance to strengthen ties
In Sydney, Ambassador Duncan, joined NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos, Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis MP, Greek Consul General Yannis Mallikourtis, and business leaders at a HACCI NSW event focused on deepening trade and investment ties between Australia and Greece. The event underscored the strong bilateral relationship, and the shared commitment to expanding economic opportunities.
It also marked the farewell of Consul General Mallikourtis, whose outstanding service in Sydney was acknowledged by the Ambassador and others. Ambassador Duncan praised his contribution to strengthening Greece’s presence in Australia and wished him well as he returns to Greece.
Melbourne: Culture, commemoration, and sister cities
In Melbourne, she met with Lord Mayor Nick Reece to discuss sister city ties with Thessaloniki and a potential business mission to Greece. She also met with Lee Tarlamis MP, who has worked to commemorate the ANZACs’ service in Greece, and His Grace Bishop Kyriakos.
Ambassador Duncan, one of the most visibly active Australian envoys to Greece in recent years, has been keen to foster investment, trade, and cultural ties.
A seasoned conduit
Ambassador Duncan has often emphasised the Greek Australian diaspora as a key conduit for strengthening political, economic, and cultural relations.
Discussions around a long-delayed Double Taxation Agreement between Greece and Australia also appear to be gaining momentum. Both sides are also exploring ways to resolve issues around EU agricultural market access. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU could be a major win for Australia and Greece.
Diaspora institutions—including the five Hellenic Australian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Greek community organisations, and ethnic media—remain essential in enhancing bilateral links.
Despite strong historic ties, Australian investment in Greece remains modest. Lingering concerns from the Greek financial crisis persist among Australian investors. As Ambassador Duncan has noted, many Australians are unaware of Greece’s recent economic recovery—recognised by The Economist, which named Greece its “Country of the Year” in 2023 for openness and growth.
Greece on the global stage
Greece is now repositioning itself as a key player in the south-eastern Mediterranean, with growing links to India, China, and the Middle East. Disillusionment with the EU’s handling of its debt crisis has driven Greece to deepen ties with Anglosphere countries, including Australia, Canada, and the U.S., all of which played supportive roles during its most difficult years.
Greece’s has also had a significant shift toward greater multiculturalism and Australia. With legal reforms such as same-sex marriage and new bilateral migration agreements with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India, Greece is addressing demographic and labour challenges. Australia could contribute policy expertise in areas like migration and diversity management.
Greece continues to pursue a balanced geopolitical approach, maintaining strong ties with Israel, Arab states, India, and China, while engaging with Turkey on long standing disputes. It is modernising its defence capabilities and managing its role on the front lines of Europe’s refugee crises.
Shared lessons, shared histories and shared futures
In this broader strategic context, the Greek Australian diaspora has a vital role to play— in deepening bilateral ties, and in helping both countries engage more effectively with global powers like India and China.
While Greece’s investment processes were once seen Byzantine, reforms under the New Democracy government have improved transparency and efficiency. Emerging sectors such as digital technology and services offer new opportunities. Greece is no longer a low-cost economy but remains a stable and competitively priced investment destination—particularly for those seeking access to markets in the Balkans, the south-eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East, especially through its close ties with Cyprus.
All of these developments are central to Ambassador Duncan’s engagement strategy. She views the Greek Australian diaspora as a critical partner in navigating complex, but important, opportunities for Australia and Greece alike.
