When the Tsipras government announced a referendum would be taking place, the Australian media’s attention turned to the nation’s largest Greek community: Melbourne.
To help offer insight and commentary in support of their homeland, the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) stepped up to the plate as an accurate source of news and research into the crisis.
Webcasting the referendum live from the Greek Centre of Contemporary Culture in Lonsdale Street, more than 60 people braved the cold at 6.00 am, joined by ABC News and other news agencies, who crossed live from the centre, interviewing many of those present.
Director of the centre Jorge Menidis told Neos Kosmos the event was a success. “People came down, we had some coffees and sandwiches going and there was a fair bit of media.”
In the lead-up to Sunday’s referendum, the centre again played a central role as a platform for the Greek Australian community, featuring on the ABC, The Today Show, BBC and Sky News.
“We were trying to ensure that we were getting the right message across, because my primary concern was the fact that a lot of what was being said was sound bites that weren’t necessarily accurate,” Mr Menidis explained.
“What we found early on was that the mainstream media were largely looking for what they considered stereotypical images that pushed a particular agenda. So we became very active to try to make sure that we tried to push some of the facts.”
The director further disclosed to Neos Kosmos that GCM president Bill Papastergiadis was on a number of occasions requested by one network to make certain statements about the Greek situation which were not factual, and with which the president refused to comply.
“They were telling him we only want you to go out and say this. They were saying that people were flooding out of Greece and he goes ‘well, I’m not going to say that. They’re your words, not my words’. We came across that a fair bit, especially from the tabloid type press who wanted us to push a particular line,” he said.
“I think it’s incumbent on us to be available to speak but also to be prepared to speak, and to that extent I think we’ve fulfilled that role.”
