Procopis Louca .Pdf (2.742Mb)

greek studies english.qxd 04/09/01 21:32 Page 188 Louca, Procopis 2001. Greeks in Australian Politics: South Australian Parliamentarians of Greek Descent. In E. Close, M. Tsianikas and G. Frazis (Eds.) “Greek Research in Australia: Proceedings of the [3rd] Annual Conference of Greek Studies, Flinders University, 23-24 June 2000”. Flinders University Department of Languages – Modern Greek: Adelaide, 188-208. Greeks in Australian Politics South Australian Parliamentarians of Greek Descent Procopis Louca ’Εκ τούτων οὖν φανερόν ὅτι τῶν φύσει ἡ πόλις ἑστί, καί ὅτι ὁἄνθρωπος φύσει πολιτικόν ζῷον (Αριστοτέλη, Πολιτικά) Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal (Aristotle, The Politics) Greeks are historically renowned for their enthusiastic embrace of politics and political life. You only have to turn on SBS television at break- fast time to view the latest instalment of the news from Athens regard- ing, say, religious affiliation being indicated on Greek identity cards, to witness tens of thousands of Greek citizens descending to the streets to give voice to their political opinions. It is as normal for Greeks to rally on the streets and wave a flag or banner of protest for whichever cause takes their fancy as it is for Australians to back their favourite Aussie Rules football team on the weekend. It is of little surprise to see Greek immigrants actively participate in the nations and communities to which they have emigrated. This is evident throughout Australia (Theophanous, 1988:231–33; Dimitreas, 1998:184–86) and is not a new phenomenon. Greeks in the diaspora have actively participated in the political life of their adopted nations for centuries. This study deals with the State of South Australia and its elected state and federal representatives of Greek and Greek-Cypriot descent. The period that is the main focus of the study is the period between the election of the Federal Labor Government in 1972 and the Liberal/National Coalition Government in power in 2000. It is during this time that people 188 Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au greek studies english.qxd 04/09/01 21:32 Page 189 GREEKS IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICS of Greek heritage began to be elected to South Australian and Australian legislatures. It also represents a peak period of involvement by members of the Hellenic (Greek and Greek-Cypriot) immigrant communities in Australian political life. This study seeks to identify some of the cultural, historical and political influences that have brought Greek Australians to participate in Australian politics. There has been little study of Greeks in Australian politics to date. The main contribution is the chapter by Theophanous (Theophanous, 1988:231–44) which focuses on politics in inner Melbourne. The lack of study in this area provides fertile ground for collection of primary ma- terials and the opportunity to compile a work which will shed some light on why and how Greeks participate in politics in Australia. This paper introduces part of an ongoing study that began in March 2000. The primary focus is on Senator Nick Bolkus of the Australian Labor Party as information relating to the Senator represents a large part of the data collected to date. There is also an introduction to another member of parliament of Hellenic background, the Liberal member for Colton, Mr Steve Condous MP. There is discussion of the influence of identity, discrimination and racism on political activism and of issues that impact directly on the Greek Australian community, most significantly the Cyprus and Macedonian issues. Historically these are the issues that have dominated outward expression of political involvement by the Hellenic Australian communities. Such political involvement is motivated by a number of influences, including political developments in Greece and Cyprus (Taylor, 1994:2; Dimitreas, 1998:218–30). This paper is an examination of the effects and influence of Hellenic ethnicity on the members of parliament and the political process. The South Australian Hellenic background population is compara- tively small in comparison with that of Victoria and New South Wales, but it has also been a successful area for the emergence of Greek Australian politicans. In the Australian Census of 1996, South Australia had 12,645 people born in Greece, representing 4.4% of the total of overseas born. The generally accepted figure of total Greek background including second 189 Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au greek studies english.qxd 04/09/01 21:32 Page 190 PROCOPIS LOUCA generation as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as having at least one Greek born parent is estimated as 35,000 (DIMA, 2000:1). A generally accepted total Greek background (if we also include Cyprus born and second generation) is estimated to be approximately 55,000 (DIMA, 2000:2). This represents about 3 per cent of the total South Australian population. There are currently four elected members of parliament in South Australia of Hellenic descent, in both the state and commonwealth par- liaments. They are of first and second-generation migrant families and participate in a broad spectrum of Australian politics. They are (in order of election): Member Party Parliament Year elected Senator Nick Bolkus Australian Labor Senate (Federal) 1980 Party Mr Steve Condous MP Liberal Party of House of Assembly 1993 Australia (State) Mr Tom Koutsantonis MP Australian Labor House of Assembly 1997 Party (State) Hon Nick Xenophon MLC Independent (No- Legislative Council 1997 Pokies Campaign) (State) My study draws on data from primary and secondary material and in- cludes interviews with the members of parliament, examination of English and Greek language media, and statistical and electoral data. It appears that an election cannot be called in South Australia with- out at least some Hellenic Australians throwing their hats into the ring. During the South Australian local government elections held in May 2000 for example, one mayor of Hellenic descent and fourteen local councillors were elected. Six other unsuccessful Greek background mayoral candidates and seven unsuccessful local council candidates and up to four other 190 Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au greek studies english.qxd 04/09/01 21:32 Page 191 GREEKS IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICS candidates who may have been of Greek descent but could not be veri- fied also participated in the election (LGA, 2000). Senator the Honourable Nick Bolkus is a second generation Australian whose parents migrated from the island of Kastellorizo in the 1920s and settled in South Australia. Born on 17 July 1950 in Adelaide he studied law at the University of Adelaide, then practised as a lawyer and later worked for Senator the Honourable Reg Bishop, Postmaster General in the Whitlam Labor Government and Labor Minister Clyde Cameron, the Member for Hindmarsh. Bolkus also later worked for Senator Ron Elstob as a Research Officer (Rust, 1981). At the time of his election Bolkus claimed membership of the Consumers Association of SA, the Greek Orthodox Community Inc and the West Adelaide Football Club (Rust, 1981). He unsuccessfully contested the State Assembly seat of Torrens in 1975 and the Senate in 1977. His unsuccessful campaign in Torrens (a near win) led to his being preselected for the ALP Senate team. He utilised campaign material in the Greek language including letters of introduction and how to vote cards (Appendices A and B). He was unsuccessful in his first attempt to be elected to the Senate, when he was placed at number three on the ALP Senate ticket (two ALP candidates were elected), but was preselected to a winnable position on the ALP Senate ticket in 1980. He took his seat in 1981, in accordance with the commencement requirements for senators (Rust, 1981). Senator Bolkus is one of the most senior and longest serving office holders of all Hellenic background Parliamentarians in Australia, having served for over 8 years as a minister in both the Hawke and Keating ALP Governments (Abraham, 1988). He was Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Treasurer for Prices from 1988–90, Minister for Administrative Services 1990–93 and Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs 1993–96. In Opposition, he has been Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice, as well as Shadow Minister for the Environment and Heritage since 20 October 1998. He is also the figurehead for the South Australian branch of one of the ALP’s largest factions, the Progressive Left, known in South 191 Archived at Flinders University: dspace.flinders.edu.au greek studies english.qxd 04/09/01 21:32 Page 192 PROCOPIS LOUCA Australia as the “Bolkus Left” (Lloyd, 1994). Senator Bolkus, once described as the “Wog from Waymouth Street” (Lloyd, 1994), was raised in culturally diverse inner city Adelaide. He at- tended Sturt Street Primary School and Adelaide High School, before com- mencing law at the University of Adelaide. His parents migrated to Australia prior to the mass Greek migration following World War II. They met and married in South Australia. Senator Bolkus grew up in a nation largely unaccustomed to cultural diversity, but surrounded by fellow Greek and other immigrants who lived in the working class quarters of central Adelaide. This environment and “the need to redirect government programs to target the powerless and the poor” (Lloyd, 1994) helped shape the young Bolkus and direct him to the path that ultimately led him to politics. He joined the Australian Labor Party when he was 15, and began to attend meetings of the Thebarton sub-branch. He was surrounded at that time by many key figures in the ALP including Mick Young, Clyde Cameron and John Bannon. At university, Bolkus was president of one of the first Greek Australian university student clubs, the Australian Greek University Association (AGUA) and was active in the embryonic National Union of Greek Australian Students (having represented the Adelaide University club at a national conference).

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