Representatives from the Australian Hellenic Council (AHC) from NSW, Victoria, and the ACT gathered in the nation’s capital last week for a day of lobbying on a range of Hellenic issues.
Buoyed by the successful launch in October of the Parliamentary Friends of the Parthenon Group, the delegates started with a working breakfast with outgoing Ambassador for Greece, His Excellency, Mr Haris Dafaranos.
At Parliament House, the delegation met with Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos, Senator Nick Xenophon, Labor Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen, MPs Maria Vamvakinou and Alannah McTiernan, along with senior advisers from the Prime Minister’s Office.
With the focus being to update MPs on the latest efforts in the campaign for return of the Parthenon Sculptures, Senator Sinodinos reaffirmed his support for the initiative while Chris Bowen, in agreeing to join the friendship group, said it was a “no brainer”.
Nick Xenophon, who was a co-convenor of the Parliamentary Friends of the Parthenon group, joined the AHC delegates to discuss ways to enhance the campaign.
Reflecting on the visit, delegation member Elly Symons, vice president (Victoria) of the Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures, said:
“It’s very heartening to see such wide cross-party support within the parliament for this cause. The Parthenon Sculptures are an issue that have galvanised opinion both here and overseas, and in the finest of democratic traditions, the Australian parliament will hopefully voice its collective support for return.”
After meeting with two of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s advisers, the delegation said the PM’s office had been apprised of recent developments in the campaign and were aware of the legal opinion recently given to the Greek government by Geoffrey Robertson QC.
The AHC group raised a number of other issues including the current Cyprus peace negotiations, Australia’s position in regard to the FYROM re-naming dispute, and preparations for Australia’s involvement in the 75th anniversary of the WWII Greece and Crete campaigns.
George Vellis, co-coordinator of AHC NSW, told Neos Kosmos: “The Australian Hellenic Council is highly regarding within federal parliament and once again received a sympathetic hearing.
“In 2016 we hope to revive the NIKE awards [to recognise the achievements of Australians who have made a significant contribution to Australian Hellenism] with a major function to be held mid-year in Canberra at the Hellenic Club, itself a great supporter of the AHC.”
The national secretariat of the AHC will pass to Victoria in 2016, with Peter Jasonides as national co-coordinator and Sophocles Kitharidis as secretary. AHC NSW will assume the reins in 2017.
