THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] JANUARY 2008 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 In this issue... Our Primate’s View “ ‘TIS THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ” PAGE 5/23 Dangerous

2007: A year addictions of frustration in Greece The Sydney Morning Herald says the letter, of the law, and should be rejected by PAGES 14/32 - 16/34 government needs to reduce its addiction state and city authorities. If necessary, the to tax dollars from pokies, asking if it is regulations should be tightened”, wrote the listening to vested interests instead of Sydney Morning Herald. voters. Star City, which is owned by Tabcorp, “It was only a matter of time before the enjoys exclusive rights to operate a casino in loophole in last year’s state legislation NSW. In return, it owes a duty of care to the banning smoking indoors at licensed pre- significant proportion of its patrons who are mises was exposed.” problem gamblers. The Iemma Government A room with as little as 25 per cent of its also needs to do more to reduce its addiction floor area and 10 per cent of its ceiling ex- to tax revenue generated from pokies, now posed to the open can be classed as open more than $1 billion a year. If it does not, the space. Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who has The Sydney Morning Herald wrote it was expressed concerns about problem gamb- only a matter of time before the loophole in ling and the states’ reliance on revenue from last year’s state legislation banning smoking it, should act to achieve tighter and more indoors at licensed premises was exposed. uniform national standards. NSW clubs and hotels have spent about The Sydney Morning Herald added that $800 million redesigning venues to create “the recent election to the Senate of a South so-called outdoor areas where people can Australian independent, Nick Xenophon, on HEALTH NEWS both consume alcohol and smoke. Under the an anti-pokies platform suggests a growing new laws, a room with as little as 25 per cent constituency for reform. Senator-elect Smoking: Consider of its floor area - and 10 per cent of the by alcohol, many gamble more than they Xenophon and the chief executive of World ceiling and walls - exposed can be classed as can afford. By banning smoking in pubs, the Vision Australia, Tim Costello, will meet Mr your options! an outdoor area. Now, the Star City Casino State Government provided a valuable Rudd next month to discuss a way forward. IT’S TIME TO QUIT! at Pyrmont is seeking approval from City of circuit breaker, forcing patrons to walk away If the struggling South Sydney Rugby Sydney Council to develop the largest such from the pokies to indulge their nicotine League Club can provide leadership by outdoor area in the state, at a cost of $3.9 habit outside. Initial evidence suggests the adopting a no-pokies business plan, it is PAGE 13/31 million, and install 130 poker machines laws have had a beneficial effect. Star City difficult to see why larger businesses and there. says its revenues have dropped by up to 10 elected politicians cannot; unless vested “Everyone knows the hypnotic effect poker per cent since the ban was introduced. Its interests speak louder than voters”. machines have on some patrons. Mes- plan to move poker machines outdoors Read also, “States need to rething merised by the tumbling dials and lubricated represents a challenge to the intent, if not the pokies addiction”, page 7/25 Australia Day: A day for the Zorba composer wants Chooky Dancers in Greece people

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Zorba composer wants Chooky Dancers in Greece January 20, 1981 Iran Hostage Crisis ends A group of Aboriginal dancers could be heading to Greece later this year after the Minutes after Ronald Reagan's inaugu- spectacular success of their dance routine ration as the 40th president of the Zorba the Greek Yolngu Style. United States, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran, The Chooky Dancers, from Elcho Island, are released, ending the 444-day Iran became instant celebrities when their manag- Hostage Crisis. er Frank Djirrimbilpilwuy posted a video of them dancing to music from Zorba the Greek January 25, 1905 on internet site YouTube. World's largest diamond found Almost 500,000 people have viewed the video since it was posted in October. On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Now the group looks to be headed to Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106- Greece where the dance has made them an carat diamond is discovered during a overnight sensation. routine inspection by the mine's super- Mr Djirrimbilpilwuy said Zorba the Greek intendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and composer Mikis Theodorakis had invited the christened the "Cullinan," it was the teenage dancers over to his home country largest diamond ever found. after viewing the clip. “They are talking about getting them over to Greece around the middle of the year,” Mr Djirrimbilpilwuy said. “They showed the clip at the town square and they are very interested.” Mr Djirrimbilpilwuy said the dancers had spent Christmas preparing costumes for the tour. They are now in discussions with the NT Government and members of Darwin’s Greek community about possible funding options. Before they head overseas, the Chooky heads the dance group, said he had been he said. January 26, 1788 Dancers will set off for Melbourne in overwhelmed by the interest shown in the “It just took off.” Australia Day February where they will take part in the Chooky Dancers since he posted the clip on He said the dancers, many who had not Channel 7 TV show Australia’s Got Talent. YouTube. even been to Darwin until recently, were On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Mr Djirrimbilpilwuy, whose son Lionel “I had no idea what was going to happen,” excited about the chances of a Greek tour. Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia. After overcoming a period of hardship, the fledgling colony began to celebrate the anniversary of this date with great fanfare.

February 6, 1952 Elizabeth becomes queen

On this day in 1952, after a long illness, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies in his sleep at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the oldest of the king's two daughters and next in line to succeed him, was in Kenya at the time of her father's death; she was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27. JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial

A country without tant in their own little world. The country needs less of these types and a compass more of those who cannot be bought or sold, who have solid opinions and courage, and By Alexis Papachelas - KATHIMERINI who believe that Greece is not that which is desired by a few dozen people having a great As elitist as it may sound, I have always time and slapping each other on the back, believed that a country should be based on a apparently in celebration of their mediocrity. few fundamental principles and a healthy establishment. The hard core of any serious Time for answers European nation comprises an establishment of intellectuals, politicians, entrepreneurs and to crucial questions academics who can collectively see beyond their noses and personal interests. When the Even if there is no hint of a scandal behind country loses its direction, they are the ones to Christos Zachopoulos’s suicide attempt, light address what needs changing. must be shed on every aspect of the affair and Whatever Greek establishment used to exist a number of crucial questions pertaining to it was wiped out by the dictatorship; it went into must be answered. hiding with the first sign of populism and has Who set up the mechanism of blackmail to since become totally compromised. ensnare the former general secretary of the Everything can be bought and sold. The new Ministry of Culture? What were their political Greek establishment tolerates everything, or unionist affiliations? Which journalists including blackmail, just so it can have its were involved in publicizing the controversial peace. It makes money, sends its children to video footage? Did they do it in order to private school and abroad, while sighing, blackmail someone, to make money, or sim- Australia Day suitable place for settlement and came ashore “Alas, this is Greece,” in order to justify its ply to increase their ratings? Who was the at Sydney Cove on January 26 in what is now own inadequacy and nothingness. journalist who sent the DVD to the prime Among Australian public holidays, Australia the historic Rocks area at the southern end of Naturally there are a few exceptions. In his minister’s office and why? What does he or Day is considered one of the most important today's Sydney Harbour Bridge. first term as prime minister, Costas Simitis she expect to gain from this? as it commemorates the founding of the first Having established Port Jackson, he then drew from an establishment of academics and The only way to put a close to this sordid and white settlement in Australia in 1788. named the settlement Sydney after British others who had a true desire to see the coun- filthy chapter of Greek politics is for the gov- On May 13, 1787, British Captain Arthur Home Secretary Lord Sydney, who was try change, but lost the battle with his own ernment, the justice system and the media to Phillip set sail from Portsmouth, England, to responsible for the colony. party, which wanted to return to the old val- find the answers to these questions, and to establish a convict colony in Australia. Phillip was to be its governor. ues. In the current government, too, we see find them fast. No one has a right to keep the He sailed with 11 ships, 759 convicts - 191 This date - January 26- is now commemorat- that those few making a real effort, such as public in the dark and no one is entitled to of whom were female - 13 children of con- ed yearly as Australia Day, but while it is a Thanos Veremis and Panagis Vourloumis, immunity from scrutiny. At the end of the day, victs, 211 marines, 46 wives and children of day that weaves together the past and present represent what the establishment should be. this is not a matter of national security (at least marines, and his staff of nine. of a great land and its people, its celebration is Meanwhile, we vegetate in a state of unbe- so far) but a clear-cut case of blackmail. Phillip landed at Botany Bay on the eastern a sore point for some of Australia's Aboriginal lievable mediocrity that is daily deified by the coast of Australia on January 18, 1788, trav- community who consider they were invaded “small gods” of television, who feel so impor- KATHIMERINI elled some kilometres north to find a more by the British on that day in 1788. Australia plans tough web rules

Australia is planning tough new rules to The government is set to compile a list of protect children from online pornogra- unsuitable sites, although at this stage it is phy and violence. unclear what will be deemed unsuitable. The new Labor government wants internet Australians wanting unfettered access to service providers to filter content to ensure the web will have to contact their supplier households and schools do not receive to opt out of the new regime. “inappropriate” material. Critics of the proposals have insisted they Civil libertarians have condemned the plan have no place in a liberal democracy, and as unnecessary, and say it will erode the have accused Canberra of being oppressive. freedom of the internet. But Mr Conroy has been unmoved by their But telecommunications minister Stephen arguments. Conroy said more needed to be done to pro- The minister stressed that if people equat- tect children. ed freedom of speech with watching child pornography then he would always dis- Family-friendly agree with them. Concerns have also been raised that the The Australian government’s aim is to government’s filters could slow down ensure that children only have access to access to the net, in a country where con- family-friendly websites. nection speeds are often below internation- Service providers will be expected to stop al standards. the flow of pornography and other X-rated Internet providers will be expected to filter or violent content. all their content JANUARY 2008 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Australia Day: A Day for the People

Australia Day today is a community day. With formal cer- ous regatta in the world. Australia Day emonies around the country - flag raising, citizenship cer- A growing sense of patriotism was also being expressed in emonies and the presentation of community awards - com- other ways. In 1824 Charles Tompson, reputed to be our first Finally, in 1946, the Commonwealth Government, States and bined with local events and fun activities, the day belongs Australia-born poet, composed Wild Notes from the Lyre of a Territories agreed to observe one national day ‘Australia Day’ to the people. Native Minstrel. under one banner and on the same day. Fifty years after Phillip landed Australia’s first public holiday During this period the celebrations continued to have a large- Celebrations actively encourage participation of all was announced to celebrate Foundation Day 1838. The inau- ly imperial feel consisting mainly of formal re-enactments of Australians regardless of age, ethnicity and culture. Increasing gural holiday became an annual event and has continued to be the First Fleet’s landing. numbers of communities are also making efforts to recognise held on or around January 26. The National Australia Day Council was formed in 1979, the meaning of the day for indigenous Australians with events with state and territory councils and committees soon after. such as indigenous flag-raising and welcome to country cere- United festivities From their inception they have encouraged more ‘grass roots’ monies. celebrations, working with local government authorities to While the historical aspects of the day will always be Unlike previous years, when the celebrations were mainly promote the wider celebration of Australia Day. acknowledged, there is now a greater awareness of the need to private, the 1838 celebrations were a ‘day for everyone’ with However, the Australia Day public holiday was still held on celebrate contemporary Australia with our diversity, remark- the harbour foreshores crowded and a cracker display for the the Monday closest to January 26 and to the broader commu- able achievements and bright future. people. nity it was just another holiday. By 1888, gold had been found and Australia’s population had In our bi-centenary year, 1988, the Australia Day public hol- First celebrations grown to nearly three million. All the colonial capitals, except iday was held around the nation on January 26. The highlight Adelaide, proclaimed ‘Anniversary Day’ a public holiday and of the many celebrations was a re-enactment of the First On January 26, 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip took formal pos- celebrations took place throughout the individual colonies. Fleet’s trip which departed from Portsmouth on May 13, 1987 session of the colony of New South Wales and became its first The centenary was marked by ceremonies, parades, exhibi- and arrived in Australia in early January. Britain then present- Governor. tions, fireworks, banquets, church services and regattas. An ed the tall ship, Young Endeavour, to Australia as its bi-centen- The fledging colony soon began to celebrate the anniversary estimated 50,000 people watched the Governor, Lord nial present. of this date. Manning Clarke notes that in 1808 the “anniver- Carrington, unveil a statue in honour of Queen Victoria. Alongside the celebrations 1988 was named a Year of sary of the foundation of the colony” was observed in the tra- Although the talk was of federation there was no question of Mourning for Australia’s Aboriginal people, who also regard- ditional manner with “drinking and merriment”. the Australian people’s loyalty to the mother country. ed the year as a celebration of survival. It was the most vocal The first official celebrations were held in 1818 to mark the The 150th anniversary of white settlement in 1938 were indigenous presence ever felt on 26 January. 30th anniversary of white settlement. Governor Macquarie marked with official ceremonies around the nation celebrating In addition to the celebrations the bi-centennial left a legacy officiated at a thirty-gun salute during the day and a dinner ball the arrival of Captain Phillip. of tangible projects. Often funded by the Federal, State and at Government House that evening. Territory Governments these diverse and useful projects are The show piece of the NSW celebrations was a re-enactment lasting monuments to the celebrations. Foundation Day of Phillip’s landing, complete with the deposition of a party of Since the bi-centenary Australia Day celebrations have con- Aborigines. The latter group had been brought to Sydney tinued to grow in number and stature with the celebrations During the early nineteenth century the anniversary was when their city counterparts refused to participate in what they continuing to involve a larger and broader audience. called ‘Foundation Day’ and was usually marked by sporting called a ‘grossly theatrical re-enactment’. It was not until 1994 however, that all the states and territo- events. Horseracing was popular in the 1820s, whilst regattas Several hours before the re-enactment Aboriginal activists ries endorsed the celebration of Australia Day on the actual became popular in the 1830s. convened a ‘Day of Mourning’ conference aimed at securing day instead of the closest Monday. United Australia Day cele- One of these, the Anniversary Regatta which was first held in citizenship and equal status for Aborigines. brations have been held on 26 January ever since. 1836, is still held on Sydney Harbour on January 26 each year. Interestingly, the celebrations omitted any mention of Now called the Australia Day Regatta it is the oldest continu- Australia’s convict roots. Source: Australia Day Council of New South Wales JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23 Our Primate’s View

In a previous New Year’s Message many the new diaries which have already circulated, be years ago I had attempted to convey to all the they desk top, wall or pocket diaries, we shall blessed Clergy and people of our Archdiocese, the experience a strange insecurity. We observe, of mixed emotions with which each one of us, almost course, that the days of the entire year are recorded bewilderedly, faces the new year. in detail - which days are Sundays or holidays, which are working days, what time the sun rises Reading again today some linguistic ob- and sets on each of those days, each of which 365 servations I had made with regard to the most are inscribed by the ruler of time. common Greek Carols which most of us had sung But no one can guarantee us how many of during our childhood days, I notice that they those days we shall live with joy and successes, preserve their freshness and their thoughtfulness and how many with failures and grief. No one can absolutely. I cite them almost unedited, since they assure us what the weather will be or what events were never published in the Greek Australian will occur on each of those days. And even more ‘VEMA’ of the Church. basic, absolutely no one can guarantee us how many of those days we will live to survive and that The two words with which our Carols we will not die before the year ends. commence (αρχιμηνιά κι αρχιχρονιά), deserve to be analysed to their roots: arhi-minia (beginning By Archbishop of the month) and arhi-hronia (beginning of the Stylianos year). So we welcome the commencement, the “ ‘TIS THE of Australia arhi (αρχή), of a new month and a new year. How- ever, what does arhi mean here? Have we ever BEGINNING thought of the deeper meaning of this Greek word which is inexhaustible in content? Arhi is not OF THE MONTH, simply the cusp and the beginning of a path or a year. THE BEGINNING It is, simultaneously, the authoritative power that oversees the path and the year. We OF THE YEAR ” speak of political authorities, of ecclesiastical authorities, of police authorities that supervise the observance of the law. In other words, the regulatory authorities in society as a whole. At And though we have ahead of us a huge the same time, we speak of moral, philosophical or unknown period of 365 days and nights, with all social arhes (values). That is, of canons and laws things being uncertain, at the same time that that govern facelessly the order of ideas. unknown period is precisely carved up chronolo- Therefore, arhi is a word which encapsu- gically, and in a certain way characterized astro- lates the meaning of the power of the law, of nomically and socially. order. And this we understand even more clearly So we are akin to young children who re- if we consider the verb from which the word arhi ceive cardboard toys with squares and other is derived. It is the verb arhomai (άρχομαι). shapes marked on the surface which they are invi- Arhomai, of course, on the one hand means I com- ted to fill with different colours. mence. Lessons commence. Exams commence (arhontai). Well, then, precisely because someone On the other hand, however, arhomai also higher than us has drawn for us squares which are means I am ruled, I am supervised, I am directed called days, nights, weeks, months, years, let us by an authority, by a power which exerts upon me place in His hands the providence for how many an impact, an influence. Arhomai, therefore, of these we shall manage to fill in. For our part, let means I am not unanswerable, but am subject to an us take care of the scrupulousness of the filling authority. I am directed. and the harmony of the colours. And let us not forget that it is He Who gave us the colours, as By singing the “arhiminia” and “arhi-hro- well as the breath and the craving to play a nia” Carols, we are therefore acknowledging that responsible role on the sacred scene of this world. the month and the year do not commence blindly and by chance, but according to a higher power May His Name be blessed during the new and will. They are attuned to a harmony which is year which is commencing. Blessed is our God, secured by God who has “placed times and sea- always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. sons in His own authority” (Acts 1:7).

Despite this, if we open and turn the pages Amen! JANUARY 2008 6/24 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Mental Health

lifestyle and therefore a short term goal could be to cut down nities and personal development. the amount of time spent at work. To effectively focus on setting goals, you may wish to consid- By Mina Candalepas* In essence, the short term goals are stepping stones to achiev- er the following: Psychologist MAPS ing the long term goals. Reg NSW PS0057198 • Steps required to plan the goal (as outlined above); How to develop your goals • Skills required to effectively achieve the goal; Setting goals • Knowledge/information required; It is difficult to achieve goals that are not set appropriately. To • Resources required; The beginning of a New Year is a time that by and large entails effectively set goals it is important to identify changes that are • What’s critical to you achieving your goals and what holidays, parties and/or socialising. During such festivities and significant to you and then identify goals that are: would obstruct them from being achieved? What are social interactions, in many cases, the words Happy New Year some steps you can put in place to ensure success?; are followed by, “what’s your New Year’s resolution?” Realistic. In that they are appropriate for your age, skill level, • What are the specific actions you need to take to education level, financial situation, family situation and phys- achieve your goals – list them; How many of us however, have thought about setting a new ical condition. • Let your family/friends know what your goals are if years resolution, or really understand what this means? Achievable. These are things that you can accomplish through appropriate – they may be able to help you; your own efforts and independent of chance or assistance from • Write your goals down, you could pin them up What is goal setting? others. somewhere as a daily reminder; Relevant. They are goals that you would like to attain. • Review your progress regularly; A New Year’s resolution is no different to setting a goal; it’s Specific or concrete. These are goals that are tangible or that • Celebrate your small successes along the way; and just one that is set in the beginning of the year – holding the can be easily described. • Keep yourself honest. promise of a fresh start. Goal setting allows for personal and/or Timely. There is a set timeframe for you to achieve the goal. professional planning. The identification of a goal and/or goals Measurable. A way for you to determine if you have achieved So, what’s your New Year’s resolution? Are you ready to set is the first step. Once a goal is identified a strategy can then be your goal. one? implemented for achieving that goal. An example of a goal would be: By 31 December 2008, I will Call your local psychologist or the Australian Psychological Setting goals helps you to focus on what you want to achieve. have lost 5 kilos. Society (APS) Referral Service on 1800 333 497 for more By identifying what you want to achieve you can concentrate information. on making it happen. Something to help you… Mina Candalepas is a Registered Psychologist. She is the sole director of a How to set goals Having a number of goals to work on in different areas of your Clinical Private Practice in the Campsie Professional Medical Practice, life is helpful. This not only gives you the chance to achieve Sydney NSW. Her particular speciality is in trauma and chronic pain manage- Goals can be divided into two main categories, long term and more, but if one goal doesn’t work you still have others to ment and she also provides psychological therapy for depression, anxiety, short term goals. For example a long term goal would be to work on. Take care not to overcommit yourself, as having too work-place issues and/or injuries, relationship issues, self esteem and grief. change my lifestyle. A short term goal would be to change my many goals may result in you trying to do too much and then eating regime or lose 5 kilos. not fully achieving anything. Therapy is conducted in either English or Greek. All services are by appoint- It is important to understand that inaction is also a choice, ment ONLY and strictly confidential. Her contact details are Tel (02) 9591 Another long term goal could be to have a more balanced therefore taking action and setting goals can facilitate opportu- 7714, Mob 0410 493 806.

GREEK SCOUTS GREEK SCOUTS Sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

THETHE GREEK GREEK SCOUTS SCOUTS ANNUAL DANCEDANCE – - OÏ XOROS ×ÏÑÏÓ TON ÔÙÍ PROSKOPON ÐÑÏÓÊÏÐÙÍ E n r o l l i n g N o w !

th Saturday 16 February 2 0 0 8 9 Cub Scout units are enrolling boys and girls up to 10 years Each one of the Greek Scout entities in 9 Scout units are enrolling boys and girls up to 15 years Sydney, The Bankstown Greek Scout Group, the Sutherland Greek Scout Group and the Hellenic By participating in a Greek Orthodox Scout Group, boys and girls will benefit from the Australian Scouting program as well as the additional Greek cultural Former Scouts, are inviting you to the program and the opportunity to practice and improve their knowledge of the The Annual Greek Scouts Dance Greek Orthodox faith and the Greek language.

“Ƴ ƹƳƵƳƶ ƷƻƱ ƴƵƳƶƮƳƴƻƱ” To enrol your children contact: is the major function of the year for the Greek Scouts of Sydney Parish of St Euphemia – Bankstown

The Function will take place at the Twin Reception Centre Mr Louis Soravias Group Leader ph.9589 3099 mob. 0412024535 Botany Road Roseberry Mr Stavros Kritikos Asst. Group Leader ph. 9547 2269 mob. 0428162893 Fr Panayiotis (Chaplain) ph. 9709 6908 mob. 0402 219214 The entrance price is $50 for adults and $20 for children. This includes 3 course dinner, soft drinks, wine and beer. Parish of St Stylianos – Sutherland

Mr Nicholas Depolignol (Group Leader) ph. 9570 1075 9579 3888 By participating in a Greek Orthodox Scout Group, boys and girls Mrs Zeffy Delhas (Scout Committee President) ph. 9541 0582 benefit from the Australian Scouting program as well as the Father Constantine (Chaplain) ph. 9526 6577 mob.0418 511212 additional Greek cultural program and the opportunity to practice and improve their knowledge of the Greek Orthodox faith and the Also more Adult Leaders needed! Greek language. To participate in the Scout Movement by becoming a Leader or Assistant For Information and to register: (all training will be provided – no previous experience required) phone: Tel. (02) 95671835 Fax (02) 95920301 Mr George Papadimitriou James PhC,MPS,JP Email: [email protected] (Commissioner for Greek Scouts) ph. 9567 1835 Email: [email protected] JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25 Facts & Stats

Businesses less optimistic about ‘States need to rethink pokies addiction’ State governments must renegotiate funding Australia’s economic arrangements with the commonwealth or future boost other funding streams to cut their reliance on tax revenues from poker Business optimism about the per- machines, says the author of a new gambling formance of the Australian economy report. during the next 12 months has waned, a new survey shows. Dr Charles Livingstone says Australia’s state The January 2008 SAI Global/ governments need to free themselves from their Australian Chamber of Commerce and addiction to poker machines. Industry Survey of Investor Confi The states make an annual $4.5 billion from dence, released recently, shows while gambling, and pokies revenue accounts for $2.9 economic conditions remain favou- billion, according to the report co-authored by rable, business is now less optimistic Dr Livingstone, an expert in gambling studies about 2008 than it has been previously. and a senior lecturer at Monash University. “Looking forward over the next 12 NSW is the leader in gathering pokies taxes, months there was less optimism being reaping $990 million a year, just ahead of expressed by the business communi- Victoria’s $911 million. ty,” ACCI director of industry and The machines are linked to problem gambling, innovation Greg Evans said. with 85 per cent of gambling addicts using pok- “That relates to concerns regarding ies, the report found. inflation, wages growth and an expect- Dr Livingstone said it was time to revise think- ed increase in interest rates.” ing about gambling, and take a preventative Business concern about interest rates approach on its devastating effects. has reached an all-time high at number “What the states tend to do is to spend substan- seven on a survey list of top 10 invest- tial sums of money, in the millions of dollars, in The pokies industry was largely supply-driven, Dr Livingstone said the state governments had ment constraints. looking after people or trying to look after peo- and the states spent a lot of time and effort been progressively “sandbagged” by state-fed- Mr Evans said business did not ple ... who’ve already succumbed (to gambling working out where their market was, he said. eral funding arrangements, but urged a collabo- believe there was any case for another addiction),” Dr Livingstone told Fairfax Radio “There was no massive latent demand for rative approach to finding a solution. rate increase after the board of the Network. poker machines before they arrived in Victoria “What we have to do is find a way in which Reserve Bank of Australia meets next “But they do very little, in fact almost nothing, or Queensland, for example, but by locating they can either increase their alternative revenue month. to stop people getting into that problem in the them in carefully designed suburbs they were sources, renegotiate their funding agreement Waning optimism among business first place, and we think it’s high time we start- able to create demand for the devices,” he said. with the commonwealth, or some combination leaders had nothing to do with the elec- ed taking that more preventative approach.” “In fact, if you think about the impact that it of all of the above,” he said. tion of the Rudd government. Dr Livingstone acknowledged it was “hard to has on people’s families, on their psychological “The harm that’s done by gambling taxes is “We would still hope that there is imagine” any state treasurer wanting to relin- wellbeing, on the wellbeing of their children, on very very significant and in the long run is going obviously a measured approach to eco- quish the billions reaped from problem gam- their employer, on the society broadly through to have a detrimental effect to the wellbeing of nomic management,” he told reporters bling. crime and so forth, these are very significant society over and above the amount of money in Canberra. But between one-third and a half of the money impacts which unfortunately happen to be that it makes for the state governments.” “I think a lot of these issues relate to fed to poker machines came from seriously diminished by the individual to a certain extent international circumstances that are in addicted people, he said. and certainly by the governments.” AAP fact beyond the control of any one gov- ernment or the Australian govern- ment.” AAP Smokers in denial about health dangers Most smokers are in denial about the dan- that showed the potentially devastating conse- The Quitline operates on 13 QUIT (13 7848). 120 deaths a day gers of their habit, new research released by quences of tobacco use. AAP during Iraq anti-tobacco campaigners has found. occupation: WHO The Cancer Council Victoria found more than six out of 10 smokers agreed with at least one An average of 120 Iraqi adults died a incorrect statement that downplayed the health PROMOTE YOUR SERVICES violent death every day in the three risk of smoking. years following the US-led invasion of They thought exercise could undo most of the AT THE CANBERRA GLENDI March 2003, the World Health effects of smoking, that most lung cancer was Organisation (WHO) said recently. caused by other factors such as air pollution and A household survey carried out by the petrol fumes, or that genetics was the major WHO and the Iraqi government be- cause of lung cancer. tween March 2003 and June 2006 esti- In fact, smoking was responsible for about 80 mated that between 104,000 and per cent of all lung cancer cases, the council 223,000 people died from violence said. during that period. The research also showed almost one in five “Violence became a leading cause of smokers believed that smoking couldn’t be that death for Iraqi adults ... and the main bad for you because many smokers lived to a cause for men aged 15-59 years,” ripe old age, said Fiona Sharkie, the executive according to the study which appeared director of the council’s prevention program on the website of the New England Quit. Journal of Medicine. Ms Sharkie said the findings were a concern More than half of all the violent given that one in two lifetime smokers would die from their habit - half in middle age. The Greek Community of Canberra invites you to advertise your deaths occurred in the capital Baghdad, services through a stall at the Greek Glendi Day 2008. The Glendi it added. “Cigarettes are an extremely addictive product The WHO estimated the daily death and given this, some smokers find it easier to will be on from 12noon- 6pm on Sunday 10 February 2008 in the toll by averaging the overall estimates develop an ‘It will never happen to me’ attitude Civic, the city centre. It attracts thousands of people from the Greek out at 151,000 dead. The survey was or believe certain myths, rather than kick the and broader community, and is a great opportunity to promote your based on interviews conducted in habit,” she said. “This research suggests that some smokers are services, especially for products that are not available in Canberra 9,345 households in nearly 1,000 such as Greek CDs and books. neighbourhoods and villages across still in denial about the dangers of smoking, or Iraq. are pushing the uncomfortable truths to the The US military has never given any back of their mind where it’s unlikely to change If you are interested, please contact Victoria on 0413 459 030 or email: estimates of civilian casualties. their smoking.” [email protected] AFP Ms Sharkie said the research highlighted the importance of public information campaigns JANUARY 2008 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Questions & Answers If Baptism implies the remission to wash the Pure; I have not learned to purify the sinless of sins, why was Christ baptized One; but to purify impure vessels; for Christ who baptized Q in me doth teach me to burn the thorns of sins. And John, in the River Jordan if He was the voice of the Word, doth testify with me, crying, Behold without sin? the Lamb of God who beareth the sin of the world. Let us believers therefore cry unto him, saying, O God who hath Christ was sinless, therefore, He did not need appeared for our salvation, Glory to Thee! forgiveness of sin or repentance for them. He A was baptized to reveal to the word fully His When then did Jesus accept to be baptized by John? The divine reality and mission as one of the three answer Jesus gave to this very same question posed by persons of the Holy Trinity, add in order to John the Baptist himself was “Let it be so now; for thus it fulfill all the commandments as part of His work of the is fitting for us to fulfill our righteousness.” St. John salvation for all of humanity. Chrysostom understands this as a neceessary element in Christ’s saving work: He takes on all our humanity in The key to understanding this event is to be found in the order to save us, including the fulfillment of the law in its name of this occurrence in the life of Christ which is given completeness. As sinners, we always fail to fulfill the law it by the Church: “Theophany.” Two separate points need and that is why in one sense it is a curse for us. Jesus ful- to be made. First, the baptism of Jesus Christ, as described fills the law as part of His work of salvation. Chysostom in the New Testament (Matthew 3:12 – 17, Mark 1:9 – 11, paraphrases Christ’s words, giving us their meaning: Luke 3:21-22), occurs just before the inauguration of His Righteousness is the fulfilling of the commandments. public ministry. We should note that the baptism of Christ “Since then we have performed all the rest of the com- was a very special “Theophany.” There was in this event a mandments,” saith He, “and this alone remains, it also revelation regarding the very being of God. Christ’s bap- must be added: because I am come to do away the curse tism was the revelation in a dramatic and powerful way, that is appointed for the transgression of law. I must there- including actions, words and symbols, of the trinitarian fore fulfill it all, and having delivered you from itscon- reality of God. Matthew’s account is more instructive. demnation, in this way bring it to an end. It becometh me “And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately therefore to fulfill the whole law, but the same rule that it from the water and behold, the heavens were opened and becometh me to do away with the curse that is written he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and against you in the law: this being the very purpose of my alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven saying, assuming flesh, and hither” (Homily 12 on Matthew). “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Here we see not only the three persons of the Holy Trinity mentioned, but also the three persons – Father, - Son and * * * * * Holy Spirit – in relationship, relative to the saving work of Christ. Not only is the event a revelation of the Trinity, but, occuring precisely at the beginning of Christ’s work for the salvation of humanity, it is a state- From the Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers, ment of His authority and competency for the work of salvation. by Stanley S. Harakas, published by Light and Life. But we are provoked, as you are, to ask why this took place through the baptism of John? You If you have any questions about the Orthodox faith which you would like should note, that the baptism with which He was baptized was not the Christian baptism which answered in the VEMA, send them to is for the forgiveness of sins, and incorporation into the Kingdom of God. You are correct in noting, however, that baptism has something to do with sin, for John’s baptism was to indicate Vema -Q.&A., repentance for sin. That makes the question just a little less relevant, because, clearly, Jesus had no sins for which to repent. The Church itself expresses your question in a dramatic way in one P.O.Box M59 Marrickville South, of the Feast of the Epiphany hymns in which the Jordan River is presented as speaking about Jesus’ baptism: NSW 2204

Why are the waters troubled, O Jordan, and why turnest thou backward, not proceeding for- or e-mail them to: ward according to thy natural flow? It shall answer, saying, I cannot bear a consuming fire. [email protected] Therefore, do I marvel and tremble at thy exceeding condescension; for I am not accustomed For the bibliophiles… Christian Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein Katerina + Kyriacos Mavrolefteros Unsecular man: the Persistence of religion. Dean Psarakis & Mary Krithinakis By Andrew M. Greeley (Schocken Books) OPTOMETRISTS This book, published in 1972, is worth reading work by word, line by line. In the intro- ductory chapter, Greeley (an academic, trained as a Jesuit priest) takes on those who assert that modern Western man is less conscious of religion than in previous times. He points to the fact that people, confronted with a seemingly vast array of religious options, are spending time to contemplate religious beliefs, even if they ultimately choose to reject them. In particular, he points to the growth in interest of alternate ‘new age’ belief systems (Druids, witchcraft, etc.) amongst young people as indicative of the 874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction human need to understand what he calls the ‘really real’. (at bus stop, on RTA block) Greeley questions Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s claims that the “world has come of age” and TEL: (02) 9314-0393 that what is now required is a “religionless Christianity”. The book draws heavily on the work of Professor Clifford Geertz’s and others. Full of brilliant insights, Greeley is not [email protected] afraid to speak clearly, decrying, for example, the amount of time modern man spends on ‘quibbling’ over factual details relating to Biblical events (such as Christ’s resurrec- We have over 1,200 spectacle frames tion), while failing to even think about what these events might mean for himself per- 114624 sonally. The book is worth searching for as it’s quite a gripping read. and sunglasses on display! Silhouette, Adidas, Carrera

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Ancient volcanic ash Sarbel guest of the Greek national final from Mount Vesuvius The first information regarding the plan- discovered in Lake Volvi ning of ERT for the national final show seems to have started to leak. According to information by sources close to ERT the A thick layer of ancient solidified volcanic Greek broadcaster is getting ready for the ash, caused by the eruption of Italy’s Mount big night of February 27 at the Athinon Vesuvius some 18,000 years ago, has been Arena Music Hall. Hosts will be the discovered in northern Greece, newspaper Maggira Sisters. Besides the three partici- reports said recently. pants (Chrispa, Kalomira Saranti and Scientists from Thessaloniki’s Artistole Kostas Martakis) there will be few more University conducting research in the region of guests in the show. Lake Volvi, in northern Greece, said deposits landed in the area after the volcano erupted, Sarbel (photo), the 2007 Greek representa- spraying hot ash across Italy and into Albania tive in the Helsinki Eurovision edition, will and Greece, according to a report in the Greek come on stage to sing ‘Yassou Maria’ once daily Kathimerini. again. The name of Helena Paparizou is also “The explosion was so strong that the ash flew an option but the first info say that she will over the Apennine mountains, over Greece’s greet the participants through a video while a mountain ranges and settled in Lake Volvi,” live presence in the venue is not excluded yet. Scientist Michael Fytikas was quoted by the Sarbel’s performance (a usual thing in many newspaper as saying. ESC selection shows to call the last year Experts said the ash layer ranges from 50 cen- entrant to perform his/her entry once again) timetres to 3 metres in thickness and was most- actually will happen for the first time since ly discovered around Lake Mygdonia, a small- 2005 ERT began to air shows for the national er body of water near Lake Volvi. final. Neither Sakis Rouvas, Helena The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was so strong Paparizou nor Anna Vissi attended the next that it penetrated the atmosphere, reaching the national final performing live. stratosphere. Guests from other countries will also be It is considered the most catastrophic eruption included. The guest list of course will be of the Italian volcano, which ended up burying determined after the draw on January 28 as the town of Pompeii, killing thousands of peo- ERT wants to promote to the Greek public, ple. countries which will participate in the same Mount Vesuvius, located east of Naples, last live in the show will be the voices of the per- VOTE IN THE POPULARITY POLL FOR semifinal as Greece. erupted in March 1944. formers. It is expected that ERT will reach a GREECE 2008 FINALISTS Furthermore the songs will be played in play peak in TV rates and voting SMSs and phone http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file DPA back, the backing vocals as well. The only calls on that night as the interest will rise. =articles&id=1862 JANUARY 2008 10/28 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Non-Greek Australia leads diplomatic protest colleges against Japan’s whaling programme

Australia and some 30 other countries lodged a diplomatic protest in for grilling to send “a very powerful signal” of international displeasure over Japan’s whaling program, officials have said recently, despite Foreign colleges offering university degrees Tokyo’s suspension of its plans to kill humpbacks. in Greece are to be subjected to strict inspections to ensure that they conform to Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith praised Japan for sus- the same basic standards as other universi- pending plans to add up to 50 humpback whales to its annual hunt of ties, Education Ministry sources said 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales, but said Japan must do more. recently. “The Australian government strongly believes that there is no credi- ble justification for the hunting of any whales and will vigorously pur- The initiative comes ahead of an anticipated sue its efforts, announced earlier this week, to see an end to whaling European Court ruling against Greece for its by Japan,” Smith said in a statement recently. failure to adopt EU legislation requiring that Late on December 21, Australia led a group of nations in lodging a member states recognize degrees from foreign diplomatic protest with the Japanese ambassador to Australia. Smith colleges. said it was the largest single diplomatic protest yet against Japan’s Ministry sources say that it will be very dif- whaling programme. ficult for some 45 such colleges in Greece to “The strength of international support for the diplomatic protest led be recognized on the same level as Greek uni- by Australia shows that there is strong international concern over versities because many reportedly do not have Japan’s whaling programme,” Smith said. “The formal diplomatic adequate infrastructure, including vital protest sends a very powerful signal to the government of Japan.” resources such as libraries. In many cases, Tokyo has staunchly defended its annual kill of more than 1,000 staff employed at these colleges are not whales as crucial for research purposes. Japan dispatched its whaling insured by their employers, the same sources fleet last month to the Antarctic Ocean in the first major hunt of hump- said. back whales since the 1960s. Commercial hunts of humpbacks have European Commissioner for Education Jan been banned worldwide since 1966, and commercial whaling overall Figel, recently told Kathimerini in an inter- since 1986. view that Greece is obliged to recognize col- The fleet was to kill 50 humpbacks. But the plan generated immedi- leges operating as franchises of foreign uni- ate criticism from environmental groups, which oppose the hunts to versities in Greece but that it is free to deter- begin with but were outraged by the inclusion of humpbacks because mine the terms under which these colleges they are so rare. The ‘Yushin Maru’, a factory ship in a Japanese whaling fleet, kills a should operate. AP whale with its first harpoon attempt in the southern Atlantic Ocean

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Church of Cyprus taking Turkey to European Rights Court

By Philippos Stylianou island at a time. It was obvious they were simply following tion of the occupied churches. “I pointed out that all mosques in the govern- delaying tactics and had no intention of restor- In response to another question if the re- The Church of Cyprus is going ahead with ment-controlled areas had been fully restored ing the occupied churches.” course to Strasbourg meant that the Cyprus a decision to take Turkey to the European and invited Yonluer to name me one that had The saddest thing, the Archbishop remarked, Church would abandon efforts to come to an Court of Human Rights over its continuing not, so that we may repair it immediately on was that Rene van der Linden, present at the understanding on the issue, Chrysostomos refusal to allow access to the Christian our expense. meeting, did not intervene once to ask if the said: Orthodox places of worship in the occupied He still insisted on one church to one mosque mosques had really been restored and what the “If they show that the have the good will - areas belonging to it. and I then said that even if the mosques had not Turkish Cypriot religious leader had to say which I believe they don’t - we are open to a been repaired, it would take half a millennium about that. serious and positive commitment. But the The application when launched, will be the to restore all the churches, since there were On the other hand, the Cypriot Primate noted application to Strasbourg will continue unless most massive faced by Turkey since invading more than 500 of them in the occupied areas, that in his various contacts in Europe since tak- they let us go and repair our churches. If that the island in 1974, as more than 500 churches while there weren’t enough mosques to go ing office he was encouraged to take com- happens, we might withdraw the application.” and monasteries have been looted, desecrated, round. pelling action against Turkey for the restora- KATHIMERINI destroyed and alienated from their refugee congregations. “We are in the process of setting up a team of legal and other experts and we are meeting next week to lay the groundwork for the action at Strasbourg,” Archbishop Chrysostomos told The Cyprus Weekly in an exclusive interview and added: “It will be a dual claim both for being pre- vented by the occupation army to repair and restore our churches and for being deprived of ST. ANDREW'S GRAMMAR our right to practise our religion in those ‘Centre for the Greek Language’ Examinations – 2007 churches.” He, nevertheless, said that the application could be withdrawn if Turkey changed its pol- icy and allowed access to the occupied For the third consecutive year, St. Andrew’s Grammar has hosted the ‘Centre for the Greek Language’ Orthodox places of worship. examinations. A total of 19 candidates sat for CGL examinations this year, constituting the highest number of The European Convention on Human Rights candidates than in previous years (7 candidates in 2005 and 15 candidates in 2006). and its Protocols, implemented by the Strasbourg – based European Court of Human Level 4 was offered for the first time in 2007. The examinations took place on Tuesday 15 May (Levels 1 and Rights (ECHR), protects amongst other the right to religious freedom and the peaceful 2) and Wednesday 16 May (Levels 3 and 4). There are four cate-gories of results, namely, ‘Fail’, ‘Good’, ‘Very enjoyment of one’s possessions, while outlaw- Good’, and ‘Excellent’. The examination results were as follows: ing overall discrimination on religious grounds for the parties to the Convention. Level 1 Grade Sarandy KARAGIANNIS Very Good Violation Anna HASAPOPOULOS Very Good Anastasis FARSALAS Very Good The ECHR has repeatedly found Turkey in violation of property rights of Cypriot refugees Level 2 and made to pay on one occasion alone com- Hariklia BATTALIS Very Good pensation close to £800,000. Chrissafina BATTALIS Very Good “We have realised that the Turks want to Andreas THEODOSIADIS Excellent uproot everything that is Greek, everything Euterpe PLATRITIS Excellent that is Christian in the occupied areas. Well, we Delara JAVAT Very Good shall not accept this. “The Church of Cyprus cannot accept the pre- Stephanie MANIOUDAKIS Very Good vailing situation of not being able to restore Christina ANDRONIS Very Good and maintain its churches in the occupied part Magda HASAPOPOULOS Very Good and celebrate mass there. These are our Pavlos FARSALAS Good churches from which we have been forcibly Paul SAVVAS Very Good expelled, as the inhabitants have been expelled Catherine COLETSIS Very Good from their homes and properties,” the Level 3 Archbishop said. He noted that in the Karpass, where there are Poppy CHRISTOU Very Good few Christians left, there is only one priest for Level 4 all the villages and parishes as far as Apostolos Athanassia IOSIFIDOU Excellent Andreas, yet the occupation authorities would Thomas IOSIFIDIS Excellent not allow the Church to send more priests. Prodromos IOSIFIDIS Excellent He stressed that the Church would not only Angela YIANNAKIS Excellent claim the abandoned churches back but also those, which have been converted into mosques. “If they want more mosques, let Our CGL candidates performed exceptionally well with a success rate of 100% for 2007. On a visit to the CGL them build their own,” the Head of the Cyprus in Thessaloniki in August of this year, I received congratu-lations from Professor Efstathiadis, Head of the Church said. CGL, and his wife, Ms Mazarakis, for the outstanding results that were achieved by our CGL Centre. Asked what prompted the decision to apply to the ECHR, Archbishop Chrysostomos said Personally, I am very proud of our collective and individual achievements and I congra-tulate all of the that the Cyprus Church was disappointed at a candidates on their success, with particular mention of Delara Javat, our only non-Greek background CGL rapprochement attempt with Turkish Cypriot religious leader Ahmed Yonluer on the initia- candidate. Thank you to the parents/guardians of the candidates for the support shown to the CGL through their tive of visiting President of the Council of children's participation in this year's examinations. I look forward to continued interest and growth in the CGL Europe Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der at the School. Finally, a special vote of thanks is extended to my CGL assistant, Mr Pavlos Iosifidis. Linden in February last year.

Delaying Mrs Angela Yiannakis Director of the CGL at St. Andrew’s Grammar “When I raised the question of restoring the churches in the occupied areas,” he said: Perth, Western Australia “Yonluer proposed that we restore one church there and one mosque in the free part of the JANUARY 2008 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Drivers to feel the sting from surge in crude oil price By Sandra O’Malley and Adam Bennett prices around Australia and what he is going to do about it. Motorists have been warned to expect to “Mr Rudd spent most of 2007 running around regularly pay $1.50 a litre of petrol as crude petrol stations and saying ... he wanted action oil hit a record $US100 a barrel. and demanding action in relation to petrol prices. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she “Now he is the prime minister of Australia, he is concerned how it will impact on families, ought to tell us what he is going to do.” while the opposition is demanding Labor Ms Gillard told reporters the situation was a deliver on its election promises to deal with the concern. petrol problem. “I’m obviously always concerned about the Higher prices at the bowser couldn’t come at possibility of increased petrol prices and the a worse time for Australians as many fuel up to impact they put on Australian working fami- hit the road during the traditional January hol- lies,” she said. iday period. The key, Ms Gillard says, is to ensure there is Motoring group NRMA predicted average strong competition and a proper monitoring of petrol prices would top $1.50 a litre within the the industry. week as international factors prompted the Labor was already seeking a person to take on spike in crude oil prices, which have jumped the job of petrol price commissioner to help more than 50 per cent in a year. monitor the cost of fuel. According to the NRMA website, some “What we’ve done is put in place our policies Sydney motorists are already paying more and plans to ensure there is better monitoring than $1.50 a litre. hopeful the strong Australian dollar could Labor focused on hip-pocket issues like gro- of petrol prices,” Ms Gillard said. The average price of unleaded petrol in met- stave off regular prices of $1.50. cery and petrol prices, promising to examine “We want to see strong competition in the ropolitan Sydney was 144.6 cents a litre, with “We’re hoping that the higher oil price hitting ways to reduce financial pressures on families. petrol market, we know of course that there the highest price 150.9 cents a litre. $US100 will be offset by the fact that the Opposition leader Brendan Nelson said Prime was 11 years of complete inaction on this ques- “It’s quite a hike that is going to occur - at greenback’s going to be weaker against the Minister Kevin Rudd needed to explain what tion by the former government. least somewhere between five to seven cents Australian dollar,” SSA president Craig he was going to do about the looming hike in “We have committed to increased powers for on top of what they’d be now,” NRMA presi- Glasby said. petrol prices. the Australian Consumer and Competition dent Alan Evans told AAP. The opposition seized on news of the likely “What we need is for Mr Rudd to deliver on Commission and we committed to a petrol “Your average is going to come up around the price rises to demand the Rudd government the expectation that he set out last year,” Dr price commissioner and the search for the per- $1.50 mark, while in the country, you’re going deliver on its election commitment to help Nelson told reporters. son to fill that job is already on.” to see them come up to the mid-$1.50 (range).” keep petrol affordable for families. “(He needs to) give us a plain language expla- The Service Stations Association, however, is As part of its strategy to win the election, nation as to what is happening with petrol AAP JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

HEALTH SMOKING: CONSIDER NEWS YOUR OPTIONS! WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * IT’S TIME TO QUIT!

Each year at this time I like to write about You know smoking reduces your fitness. You smoking and remind everyone that it’s time to can feel breathless when climbing stairs or Stop Smoking!!! If you have already quit walking. This can occur because the carbon smoking, it is time to remind a friend or rela- monoxide gas in cigarette smoke reduces the tive that it’s time to quit. Talk to your friends oxygen level in the body and causes you to or relatives. Show them how you did it. tire more easily whenever you exert yourself. Support them. Show them that it can be done! If you have a heart condition and you smoke, you are more likely to have chest pain (angi- For those who haven’t stopped smoking now na) because of the lower oxygen level. Your that the New Year has arrived, make your breathing may also be affected by the damage New Year’s resolution to STOP smoking ! It’s to your lungs from the tar in cigarette smoke. not too late…it’s not easy…but it can be done! You know smoking ages your skin. Smokers develop deep and shallow lines on the cheeks It is also timely that a new drug has become and lower jaw and the face develops gaunt- available on the PBS from the 1st January ness and a yellow colour. 2008 for smoking cessation. It is a non-nico- tine drug for smoking cessation and belongs You know smoking smells unpleasant. It can to a class of drugs known as nicotinic acetyl- also reduce your sense of taste and ability to choline-receptor partial agonists. These drugs enjoy food. Smoking can affect other people, are thought to work by reducing craving and often your relatives and friends are not happy withdrawal symptoms, and by reducing rein- about your smoking. Children, asthmatics and forcement of the smoking habit due to its sat- allergy sufferers can be badly affected by isfying or enjoyable effects. The drug should small amounts of smoke. be prescribed in conjunction with a compre- hensive smoking-cessation support and coun- You know smoking harms your health. It selling program. causes coronary artery disease, strokes and circulatory problems, and can increase your SMOKING: THE CHOICE IS YOURS risk of cancer , particularly lung cancer. Did you know that smoking can also cause cancer It’s your choice whether to keep smoking or of the throat, mouth, stomach, pancreas and not. Deciding what to do involves weighing kidney? On the positive side, your risk of up both sides of the matter. You need to con- developing lung cancer decreases greatly ing and this helps them feel better! Others will you light cigarettes without thinking about it? sider the good and the not-so-good aspects of when you stop smoking! make fun of your efforts for similar reasons! If this occurs, you have a well-practised habit! smoking to make an informed decision. Sometimes you may need to avoid these peo- But don’t worry, with hard work you too can Smoking can reduce fertility in both men and ple for the first few weeks, but alternatively give up smoking! Keep a diary, writing down THE POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT women. Smoking when pregnant is a great you can challenge them to join you! every cigarette you smoke over a 24 hour SMOKING concern. It can cause miscarriage and the baby Some friends will support and encourage you period. This is a good way to begin breaking is likely to be born premature or be under- and most will respect you when you achieve your old habit! We all know that you smoke because you find weight. your goal. Think about stopping with a friend! it enjoyable and you find it relaxing. It goes In your diary record: well with a drink. It peps you up! It helps you WEIGH UP THE PROS AND CONS So, you don’t really have the willpower! Of 1. the time each cigarette is smoked keep your weight down! It calms your nerves course you do! Willpower is the will to 2. your mood at the time when you’re under pressure or have deadlines So, now you know there are positive and neg- change and a measure of the strength of your 3. the situation you are in to meet. Smoking keeps you awake when you ative things about smoking. It’s time for you desire and confidence to stop smoking! 4. a possible substitute for each cig- feel sleepy. Smoking stops the boredom. It to weigh up in your own mind your feelings arette , for example, a piece of fruit, simply gives you something to do to pass the about smoking. A good start is to write down When you start to quit, you will get irritable a walk, a glass of water. time, for example, while you wait for a train the ‘advantages’ and ‘disadvantages’ about and feel sick as the withdrawal symptoms If you are on the telephone and need to do or bus. You know smoking helps you think! smoking, and in the process list everything begin in your body, as the nicotine starts to something with your hands, doodle on a pad When you’re trying to figure out a problem or you like about smoking and then everything disappear. But, all the nicotine will have left with a pencil. Think about what you can do complete a job, a cigarette can help you get you dislike about smoking. Spend time con- your body within three to four days and it instead of smoking! over this hurdle. Smoking boosts your confi- sidering which side is more important to you takes ten to twelve days for your body to dence. It gives you something to do with your in the long term. adjust. During this difficult time increasing It is not easy to give up smoking. It requires hands when you might feel a bit socially awk- your exercise, eating fresh fruit and vegetables hard work. Set your ‘Quit Date’ ! Prepare ward! TIME TO QUIT and drinking plenty of water will help the before you quit! Make small changes in your body during this period of readjustment. smoking habit! Reduce the number of ciga- THE NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT After weighing up the pros and cons, you may rettes you smoke each day! Smoke only half SMOKING come to the decision to ‘quit’, but you may Think of the advantages of stopping smoking! of each cigarette! Start your first cigarette later have concerns about quitting. You will feel like a new person, free of addic- in the morning! Each time you feel like a cig- You know the negative things about smoking. tion. You will smell and feel better! The worry arette, delay having it! Start making small You know that regular smokers are hooked on I know you are concerned that you have tried of smoking will be off your shoulders! changes to your smoking pattern today! their habit! Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that to quit before and failed. BECOME A NON-SMOKER causes the addiction! If you smoke in the first Well, most people have to attempt to quit sev- The decision is yours to talk to your doctor half hour of waking up, your addiction to eral times before they reach their non-smok- today about smoking cessation. Ask your doc- Now that you have considered the good and nicotine may be strong. ing goal. Treat each setback as a learning tor about the drugs which can assist is smok- bad things about smoking and understand the experience. Show your friends that you can do ing cessation and if you have tried to stop advantages of being a non smoker, your Smokers often have cravings for a cigarette it! smoking before ask about the new class of options really are clear. There is no argument! which increases during stress. Not only do drugs known as nicotinic acetylcholine-recep- It’s time to stop smoking! Your doctor can you smoke for pleasure, but you smoke to I know that you’re concerned that you’re tor partial agonists. Most doctors are keen to help you do it! Talk to your doctor today! To relieve the cravings; that is you smoke to motivated, but when you are with your help their patients stop smoking!! relieve the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. friends, and they smoke, they will make you get started, you need a plan! Your doctor will Smoking can easily become quite a habit, par- feel like a cigarette as well. Be ready for your discuss your nicotine dependence and discuss * The information given in this article is of a gen- ticularly if it is strongly linked with daily friend’s reactions. your smoking pattern and habit. Think about eral nature and readers should seek advice from activities such as drinking coffee or alcohol or Some will try to undermine your efforts your smoking! When, where and why you their own medical practitioner before embarking using the telephone. because they have their own guilt about smok- smoke? Are you an ‘automatic smoker’ ? Do on any treatment. JANUARY 2008 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA 2007: A year of frustration in Greece

THE YEAR was dominated politically by ruling New Democracy’s struggle campaign. Even so, the conservatives soldiered through to a second term, to remain in power and continue reforms. On every front, progress has been albeit with a reduced majority, because voters did not believe the socialist difficult. Pasok opposition was ready to govern again. The sale of an overpriced government bond to four pension funds was The government says it is determined to bring a social security reform bill revealed just as the government geared up for social security reform. in the New Year, enforce university reforms already passed into law and Greece’s most devastating forest fires came in the last month of an election alter the constitution to liberalise higher education.

JOHN PSAROPOULOS attendant upon its formation On March 6, judicial authorities started a money-launder- would claim the political ing investigation in connection with the bond. The scandal January - A rocket hits the US embassy career of Education Minister would gradually broaden to include four social security Marietta Yannakou (photo), funds and two government bonds. who would not be re-elected in September’s general elec- The second, larger bond, worth 280 million euros, was tion. revealed on March 15. In an attempt to defend itself from sus- picion of collusion with brokers at the expense of funds, the Even as it pressed ahead finance ministry declared the pension funds’ boards “clueless” with reform of the state uni- and forbade them to buy any more structured bonds. versity system, the govern- ment made a bid for dereg- In an exclusive interview with the Athens News published ulation. On February 22 on March 2, Spyros Amourgis, head of the Hellenic conservative parliamentari- Quality Assurance Agency, revealed that Greek universi- ans voted for a revision of ties probably wouldn’t make a 2010 deadline for assess- article 16 of the constitution to recognise non-state ment, accreditation and European funding. degrees; but the revision passed only with a relative major- ity because socialist leader George Papandreou reversed Greece, Russia and Bulgaria signed the final agreement for the his original position in favour. It will now require two- construction of a 279km Burgas-Alexandroupoli pipeline on thirds in favour in a second round of voting to come into March 15. The billion-euro project had stalled for 13 years effect. because of wrangling over ownership slices. Russia now owns 51 percent. The pipeline will bring 35m-50m tonnes of oil The Cypriot government enraged Turkey by opening oil from the Black Sea to the Aegean beginning in 2009. prospecting to tender off its southern coast. Offshore oil and gas were estimated at between six billion and eight billion bar- The Athens News exclusively published details of a draft rels, worth $400bn at the beginning of the year. bill on March 23 that would allow more than a million enfranchised citizens of the Greek diaspora to vote from A disturbing amendment to ND’s immigration law of 2005 abroad, obviating expensive flights that whittle down their on February 7 said authorities could refuse to renew a res- voting power. The ruling conservatives were keen to pass idence permit if the holder poses “a danger for public the bill before the next election, and Costas Karamanlis order and security”, opening the door to deportation for would announce in July that the bill would be tabled in misdemeanours punishable by a year in prison such as for- October. Ultimately, questions over how to campaign to gery, car theft and drug possession. A new law in the same the diaspora and whether some voting districts might suf- A rocket-propelled grenade hit the US embassy on January 12, month said non-EU businesspeople must prove they have fer excessive distortion caused such a stir in the ruling striking the roof of the ambassador’s private en-suite bath- invested 60,000 euros in their business in order to renew party that the bill has still not been tabled. room. The rocket had been intended for the embassy seal, a their permit. few feet below, police and diplomats opined. Revolutionary Struggle claimed the attack on January 25, citing the war in Egypt’s Orascom bought TIM Hellas for 3.4bn euros on Iraq and the war on terror in general. February 7, renaming it Wind and entering the Greek mobile market as the third biggest player. Rivals Vodafone and OTE Police stories spiced up the month. Lieutenant-Colonel feared that Orascom would now offer Greece’s first triple-play Constantine Harisis was arrested for removing documents package deal with mobile, fixed line and internet services, and from an Athens army recruitment centre on Boxing Day. accordingly beat Wind to it. He was allegedly taking money to declare some people unfit to fulfil their mandatory military duty. On the more The president of the Social Insurance Foundation (IKA), sordid end, a 47-year-old Edessa businessman was investi- Yannis Vartholomeos, was found dead in the stairwell of an gated for allegedly raping three Albanian boys and paying Athens apartment building on February 9. Two days later, their fathers hush money. the husband of Vartholomeos’ secretary, 59-year-old Dimitris Vrakatsellis, was arrested for the killing. In politics, the cross-party constitutional revision committee Vrakatsellis initially confessed to the murder as an act of on January 10 debated altering article 16 to recognise private jealousy over Vartholomeos’ affair with his wife, but later universities as protesters gathered outside. Only the Left recanted. Coalition was against the amendment. The environment ministry released its first hazardous waste Union bosses at the Federation of Port Employees ended a management plan on February 28, confirming suspicions that work-to-rule at Piraeus after 53 days with millions of euros sewage is being dumped illegally into landfills across the in revenues lost. The fight was over the government’s pro- country. It revealed that almost two-thirds of the country’s haz- posed privatisation of lucrative container terminal servic- ardous waste - over 200,000 tonnes - goes untreated. The es. Athens News published recycling figures from the Hellenic A furore erupted over a new sixth-grade history text book that Recycling Corporation showing that the blue-bin programme glossed over the destruction of Smyrna by Turkish forces in In a small, national, legal victory, the European Court of was on the rise and 4.2m people had access at the end of 2006 1922. Human Rights ruled that the landmark Istanbul building compared to 2.5m a year before. Megali tou Genous Scholi must be returned to the Greek Mihalis Filopoulos, a 22-year-old Panathinaikos fan, was lyceum. Environment and Public Works Minister George Souflias stabbed and then beaten to death by Olympiakos fans unveiled two land use bills, one zoning the country for after a women’s volleyball match in Peania on March 29. A total of 30 villagers from Agios Dimitrios and Ryaki in renewable energy production and the other for coastal A total of 18 Olympiakos fans were arrested and 12 northern Greece took over part of the Agios Dimitrios development. The second was criticised by the Technical charged with felonies. Sports Minister George Orfanos power plant, partly bringing the lignite-burning facility to Chamber for its pro-development stand. announced the suspension of the two teams’ football fan a halt. They claim that pollution and joblessness are killing clubs and closer cooperation between clubs and police. On them physically and financially. March - A structured bond deconstructed April 12 the government would unveil plans to install cam- eras in all football stadia. February - Education reform at last The conservatives met with their biggest financial scandal on March 1, when the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission April - Pasok exacts its pound of flesh Ruling New Democracy finally tabled its higher education partly suspended Akropolis, a brokerage firm, for selling a reform bill on February 20, placing term limits on graduation, bond to the Public Servants Auxiliary Pension Fund (Teady). AGPO poll showed the bond scandal cost the government eliminating party electors from rector elections and introduc- Akropolis allegedly hiked the value of the bonds by at least politically. Its January lead of 2.9 percent had narrowed to 1.7 ing pluralism in textbooks. The bill had been a year in the mak- five million euros by selling it to an offshore company and percent (it would later narrow to 1.1 percent), and the gap ing, and was finally passed on March 8. However, the protests buying it back. JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33

Cont. from previous page tions, was thinking of citing the Macedonian name dis- in court, among other reasons. No exemplar in the internation- pute. Costas Karamanlis added fuel to the fire by not dis- al immigration scene, Greece has also been criticised for between George Papandreou and Costas Karamanlis in terms missing them. The media began to discuss a possible col- ignoring asylum applications with the excuse that they are a of suitability to lead the nation narrowed from 20 points to 10. laboration between New Democracy, set to lose seats, and back-door bid for residence. In November, Sweden would the rightwing LAOS, set to clear a three-percent threshold declare that it is processing asylum applicants that arrive from The Capital Markets Commission decided to shut down to enter parliament. Greece because it doesn’t trust the Greeks to do the job. the brokerage Akropolis. With New Democracy back- benchers baying for their blood, Finance Minister George Adding to Greece’s poor reputation in the treatment of Alogoskoufis, his then deputy Petros Doukas and Labour immigrants was a video, posted on the website Minister Savvas Tsitouridis, mounted a counter-offensive www.youtube.com in mid-June, that showed police offi- with press conferences and a parliamentary committee cers in Omonia station ordering two immigrants to slap hearing. each other. The two had been arrested for mugging an eld- erly woman. Four police officers were suspended and On April 19, the government also passed a law requiring that charged with police brutality, but human rights organisa- fund managers be approved by the commission and the Bank tions said the incident was only one of many. of Greece; the following day, JPMorgan, the investment bank which brokered the bonds under a scandalously favourable On June 21, however, the Government Gazette finally pub- agreement that gave it profits of 80 million euros, offered to lished a law eliminating the residence permit requirement for buy back the larger, 280 million euro bond. European Union nationals in Greece, an overdue harmonisa- tion with a Brussels directive. For a few days it seemed as though the government had turned a corner, but on April 28 Tsitouridis was forced to In an exclusive interview with the Athens News published resign after Pasok revealed that one of his top advisors on June 15, US Undersecretary of State for Political was being investigated for involvement in the stock mar- Affairs Nicholas Burns revealed that resolving the ket collapse of 1999-2001. It was Tsitouridis’ second resig- Macedonia name dispute was not a high priority for the nation in one government term; he had had to leave his US. He suggested that process diplomacy at the United job as agricultural development minister in 2004 after rev- George Papandreou promised fairer redistribution of wealth at Nations should suffice the Greeks, who were clamouring elations that he had used his political influence to transfer a Pasok party convention, widely interpreted as an electoral for US support. his son to Athens university. Vasilis Maginas replaced promise. Karamanlis spent 10 days on a tour of Australia, Tsitouridis in early May. which he used as a photo-opportunity (photo), interpreted as Ten former Panteion University employees, including two the unofficial start of his election campaign. A series of opin- rectors and a chief accountant, were handed maximum prison Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos denounced a draft law ion polls published in late May and early June suggested that sentences of between 12 and 25 years on June 6. They were that would create prosecutors in each Greek diocese and a the conservatives would win another general election, albeit convicted of embezzling eight million euros between 1992 chief prosecutor in clerical matters appointed by the Holy with a reduced margin, because Pasok had failed to pick up and 1998. Synod for the entire country. He said it trampled on centuries critical numbers of votes from the bond scandal. of canon law that gave the patriarchate jurisdiction over its On June 20 surgeon Dionysios Voros confirmed that dioceses in northern Greece and implied it was a move by The government was engulfed in a new scandal, however, Archbishop Christodoulos was suffering from colon and Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens to realise his longstand- after press reports revealed that the son of the head of the liver cancer. The archbishop had been hospitalised days ing dream of extending Athens’ authority over those dioceses. supreme court, Romylos Kedikoglou, had made almost earlier. 300,000 euros in stock speculations. The money was made In a landmark energy deal, Mytilineos and the Spanish between 1998 and 2004, triggering suspicion that The government made about 1.12bn euros on 10 percent of energy giant Endesa created a 1.2bn euro joint venture Kedikoglou junior had ridden a tide of worthless bubble OTE in less than two hours on June 28. Observers comment- with an emphasis on renewable energy. In a demonstra- stocks. ed that the snap sale could signal abandonment of efforts to tion of the local resistance that has plagued green energy find a strategic partner. in Greece, the island of Serifos rejected plans by An appeals court upheld the convictions of 13 members of the Mytilineos to install a 260-megawatt wind park because it terrorist group 17 November but scrapped the convictions of July & August - A spreading inferno would place 87 wind turbines over half of the island. Nikos Papanastasiou and Pavlos Serifis on the grounds that their crimes had fallen outside Greece’s 20-year statute of lim- itations. The two were serving eight-year sentences.

The Jordanian cabinet voted on May 12 to revoke recog- nition of the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos. The patriarch told this newspaper that he believed that 70-odd Arab Orthodox communities had put pressure on the cabinet to do so in order to gain control of church assets.

The police union, Poasy, declared it would go through with a uniformed protest on the day Athens hosted the Champions League Final between AC Milan and Liverpool, on May 23. The union was suing for higher wages.

A Lousios River flashflood in the Peloponnese killed eight hikers on May 26. The bodies of five women and two men, Forest fires that began in late June continued to ravage the aged 23-37, were recovered immediately. They had been country in July. At least 4,000 hectares of fir and pine for- The cruise ship Sea Diamond ran aground off Santorini on caught in mid-crossing by a torrent. est had been lost on Mount Parnitha (photo) in a botched April 5 (photo) and sank early the following morning, alleged- and delayed response by fire authorities on June 26-28. ly drowning two French tourists who were not evacuated. The June - Embarrassment over immigration The fires followed a powerful heatwave which, in central ship would settle on a cliff about 100 metres below sea level, Athens, was the worst on record. Three seasonal firefight- and over the next few weeks it would leak dozens of tonnes of ers were killed in Crete on July 11 when a fast-moving engine fuel. Recriminations between its operating company, front trapped them in a ravine. The fire brigade came Louis Hellenic Cruises, and Greek authorities over who decid- under severe criticism for not supplying its seasonal men ed to tow it to deep water rather than let it sink in the shallows and women with fire-retardant uniforms. and be refloated continue to this day. A bewildering 100 fires a day broke out across Greece in the The Athens News revealed that the trustees of Anatolia fourth week of July, bringing the total to 2,000 fires for the College in Thessaloniki had turned down a request for year at that point, double the previous year’s total, and over- merger by the Pinewood School, placing the latter’s future whelming authorities. Suspicion fell on developers and the in jeopardy. opposition. The government all but named Pasok. Deputy Labour Minister Yerasimos Yakoumatos famously asked the Inmates at Malandrino maximum-security prison in central rhetorical question, “Is green setting fire to green?” - an allu- Greece rioted for several days beginning on April 24, sparking sion to the socialist party’s colour. sympathy protests in other prisons. The riot was allegedly trig- gered by the beating of a bank robbery suspect but might also The prime minister further manipulated public opinion have been due to overcrowding. Designed for 260 inmates, when he declared on August 25: “So many fires, so close to Malandrino held 440 at the time. each other, in such a short time cannot be coincidence.”

May - Election rumblings begin Firefighting fatigue became deadly on July 23, when two Amnesty International criticised Greece in a human traffick- experienced pilots in a brand new Canadair CL-415 water- Press rumours began to circulate that the government, ing report on June 12 for deporting women without assessing bombing plane crashed to their deaths on Evia. Two elderly desperately casting about for an excuse to hold early elec- them, and offering them no protection in return for testifying JANUARY 2008 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Cont. from previous page Zoniana two days later with a reinforced raid, searching the vote and 102 seats (compared to 40.55 percent and 117 houses and the village outskirts. Among other things, they seats). The second loss in a row combined with an even people were burned in Achaia, where fire claimed more than found quantities of illegal drugs, large amounts of cash, poorer showing triggered a leadership crisis in the social- 30,000 hectares of agricultural and forest land. On July 29, a bank accounts worth millions and a cache of grenades and ist party. Moments after a concession speech in which fully crewed Russian amphibious plane, the Beriev Be-200, Kalashnikov rifles. Zoniana and the wider Mylopotamos George Papandreou declared that he would stand for re- landed at Elefsina airforce base to assist the Greeks. Another region are notorious for gun possession and lawlessness. Beriev would follow, along with Russian heli-tankers. election as party leader, former culture minister Evangelos Venizelos challenged him. Former interior minister Costas George Papandreou was returned to the leadership of the Skandalidis would later declare a third candidacy. Fire ravaged parts of Pendeli on August 16, destroying 10 socialist party on November 11 and celebrated with a refusal houses, and would burn the foothills of Ymittos no fewer The combined 5.95 percent of the vote the two major parties to help New Democracy pass constitutional reforms, includ- than three times. But the worst was yet to come. shed since 2004 went to the Communist Party, the Left ing education reform. Coalition and rightwing Laos, who together hold 46 seats. But Devastating fires tore through the area of Zaharo in the south- New Democracy could claim to have won the moral victory In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court said that two west Peloponnese in the last 10 days of August. At the same of surviving the summer fires and overcoming a new election Albanians who had been denied minimum wage and over- time, they started in Megalopolis and Andritsaina, in the cen- law, which gives the ruling party a reduced bonus of 40 seats. time pay could sue their employer even though they had tral Peloponnese, and Mount Parnon in Lakonia. All told, the entered the country and worked illegally. Their labour summer fires would destroy about 3,000 square kilometres of Almost as a confirmation of environmentalists’worst fears rights were not affected by their immigration status, it forest and orchard, equivalent to about 2.3 percent of the came the news that days before the election, Deputy said, because they had worked for the same employer. The country’s surface area, and kill 67. Finance Minister Petros Doukas had signed over to implication of the ruling is that even workers who do not Zaharo municipality a 20-year lease to develop the pro- enter into a written contract are governed by the General Despite the fires, the government moved into high election tected but burned coastline of Kaiafas for tourism. Collective Bargaining Agreement, which currently entitles gear - although elections had yet to be declared - promis- them to 657 euros a month for a 40-hour week. ing hundreds of millions of euros to farmers, the poor, the The Athens News revealed on September 21 that the charges fire-afflicted, civil servants and the disabled. The brought against Haleh Esfandiari and a second jailed Iranian The government began to roll out its social security reform September 16 election was announced exactly a month dissident stemmed from a diplomatic event in Athens. proposals in stages. First came a proposal to consolidate the before - on August 16 - and caught the opposition in a state country’s 150-odd primary and auxiliary pension funds into of ill preparation. October - Economic/ social reform plans five. More controversial was the idea of diverting a tenth of the tax benefits that would go to the healthiest funds - repre- The opposition media came to Pasok’s aid once more with senting journalists, doctors, lawyers, pharmacologists and impeccable timing. On August 22 several newspapers pub- engineers - to the other four, and it led to two one-day strikes. lished leaked tracts of a report by the state money-laundering investigation authority, headed by George Zorbas. They indi- Clamping down on contributions evasion and oversight of cated that the brokerages that sold an overpriced bond to four fund investments has not caught any flak. Neither have pension funds paid bribes to officials; they also said the bond proposals to increase the pensions and decrease the contri- was issued illegally. butions of those who choose to remain in employment for up to three years longer than the minimum pensionable But even with these revelations, the bond scandal turned age. Mothers would be granted five years’ worth of contri- out to be a dead horse. It was the forest fires that would butions. really colour the election. Socialists and conservatives pledged money to the countryside hand-over-fist, as fears A round of school sit-ins that began on November 1 ended rose that destroyed farmers would abandon the land. with six of the finest public schools jointly housed in Pangrati being vandalised. Occupiers set fires in the physics and chem- The telecommunications industry braced itself for major istry labs, smashed furniture and computers and ripped doors changes. Vodafone stole a march on Wind by announcing out of their frames. Among 17 arrested were 14 pupils. The Greece’s first fixed-line, mobile and internet package deal. education ministry said their parents would be asked to pay for OTE CEO Panagis Vourloumis announced that state-con- the estimated one million euros in damages. trolled OTE would buy out the floating shares of Cosmote, its New Democracy unveiled its draft budget on October 1, mobile subsidiary, in an effort to consolidate the parent com- which included 5.9bn euros in new projected revenues. A meeting between Marfin’s Andreas Vgenopoulos and pany’s value. One-and-a-half billion to two billion euros of those rev- George Alogoskoufis on November 27 did not go well. The enues is to come from a new property possession tax and government is opposed to Marfin’s plans for OTE, in In an exclusive interview with the Athens News published a crackdown on motor oil tax evasion. The remaining which Marfin has become the second-biggest investor on July 27, Marfin Investment Group’s vice-president, 3.9bn is to come from a clampdown on VAT tax evasion. with 19 percent (the government has 28 percent), and on Andreas Vgenopoulos, revealed that he would be moving December 7 introduced a legal amendment barring to buy a Greek telco. (Days earlier, on July 13, Marfin had The budget projects a deficit of 3.9bn euros, or 1.7 percent of Marfin from a higher stake than 19.99 percent. At 20 per- bought 30 percent of food giant Vivartia.) Little did the GDP, and promises to bring the aggregate public debt to cent, Marfin would have increased voting rights. market suspect that Marfin’s target would turn out to be below 100 percent (98.9 percent) of GDP for the first time in the state behemoth, worth about 13 billion euros. The 15 years. December - Reports of Olympic’s Athens News would report this on August 24. Marfin built up its OTE portfolio by stealth. It owned just 5.3 percent Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis announced on imminent death, again of the company on August 16. It has since upped its stake October 9 that the government would present a reform to 19 percent. bill for social security at the beginning of 2008. Backbencher Yannis Manolis threatened to resign if the On August 2, Public Works Minister George Souflias unveiled pensionable age rose, or pensions were cut, expressing a grandiose plans to relandscape the former Athens airport at significant populist current in New Democracy. Elliniko into a 590-hectare park that would include 130 hectares of housing and office space. In an interview with the Athens News, Yannis Panagopoulos, the head of the General Confederation of Workers in Greece, September - New Democracy returned said the root of the problem is that the government owes pen- sion funds about 12bn euros. He called on the government to pledge one percent of GDP to the Social Insurance Foundation (IKA).

The government missed an October 20 deadline to recog- nise the professional qualifications of graduates of European Union colleges with franchises or subsidiaries in Greece. It says it will comply with this 2005 EU directive, nonetheless. More than 20,000 Greeks hold degrees from a dozen institutes in Greece affiliated with a European university. A crisis that had been simmering since midyear on the ail- ing state carrier came to a head, with the new transport The interior ministry announced that six new patrol units minister announcing on December 3 that the company would be created in the eastern Aegean, employing 200 peo- would be declared bankrupt. Olympic Airlines has esti- ple to combat rising illegal immigration. mated debts of at least 1.1bn euros. November - The Wild West Greece failed to attend, let alone come up with a presentation for, the United Nations-sponsored climate change talks in Three police officers were wounded, one of them critical- Bali, Indonesia. The two-week conference was attended by a New Democracy was returned to power in the September ly, when a band ambushed their 12-car motorcade on the handful of Greek officials only in its second week. 16 election (photo) with a diminished 41.83 percent of the outskirts of the Cretan village of Zoniana on November 5. vote and 152 seats (compared to 45.36 percent and 165 The raid was an attempt to search the house of a suspect- seats in 2004). Pasok fared worse, with just 38.1 percent of ed drug dealer who had fled a roadblock. Police occupied ATHENS NEWS , 28/12/2007 JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35 Food & Wine Christmas treats for 2008: Stollen By Imogen Coward Stollen (makes one large loaf)

Christmas and New Year are over so now we Ingredients: can begin to plan what we’ll eat next time (just 50g caster sugar kidding!). Seriously though, while our culinary 2 ½ tspns easy blend, dried yeast successes (and, perhaps, disasters) from the 350g strong white bread flour (warmed) last month are fresh in our minds it is the best 1/4 tspn salt time to contemplate recipes for our next round 150ml milk, warmed until hand-hot of entertaining, whenever that may be. 110g softened butter 1 large egg, beaten Although Christmas and New Year can be very 40g currants stressful for any cook, at the same time it is the 50g sultanas most pleasurable season provided you’ve got a 30g candied mixed peel, finely chopped large stove, plenty of special ingredients, a 40g dried (soft) appricots, chopped good excuse to try out different recipes, loads 50g glace cherries, rinsed, dried and chopped of appreciative (preferably hungry!) people to into halves feed and, of course, air-conditioning! After 25g almonds, chopped years of being given stollen as a special treat at zest of ½ lemon (make sure it is aromatic) Christmas time I decided it was high time to 175g marzipan try making this sweet myself (with a few twists and turns). Although it’s generally considered For the glaze: Christmas fare, it keeps well, is fantastically 110g icing sugar, sifted tasty (much better than the store bought ver- lemon juice to make a very runny icing (should sions) and very useful to have if someone vis- cover the top of the loaf and run down the sides its for afternoon tea. forming a thin layer)  This traditional Austrian Christmas sweet is Method: bowl in a warm place until the dough has dou- cling-wrap or a tea-towel and leave it to rise essentially an enriched fruit bread which Combine the sugar, yeast, flour and salt in a bled in size (up to 2 hrs). again in a warm place, until the loaf has dou- derives much of its flavour and uniqueness large bowl and mix thoroughly. Make a well in bled in size. Bake loaf in oven for 15-20 mins from the core of marzipan running down the the middle, pour the warmed milk in, then add Heat oven to 190°C. Lightly butter one large, until it is quite a dark golden brown (have a middle. If you love a bitter almond taste, use a the softened butter and beaten egg. Mix every- flat baking tray. Roll out the marzipan into a look at the outside of a commercially made European marzipan such as Odense. If, how- thing together (with your hands or using a sausage about 1 - 1 ½ inches in diameter. Tip panetone - this is approximately the colour you ever, you’d prefer a sweet almond taste, try wooden spoon) until it is all well blended and dough out onto a lightly floured board, knock are aiming for - much darker than most Blackwoods marzipan, made in Australia; it comes cleanly away from the sides of the the air out and knead dough until it is smooth breads). Be careful not to burn the stollen lacks the bitterness and simply tastes like bowl. Work in the fruits, peel, nuts and lemon and elastic. Roll or press out the dough into an though! Allow it to cool on the baking tray for sweet, crushed, fresh almonds. The following zest until they are distributed evenly. Knead oblong shape around 10 x 8 inches. Place around 5-10mins before transferring it careful- recipe is based on Delia Smith’s stollen recipe the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 marzipan ‘sausage’ lengthwise down the ly onto a wire cooling rack. Mix up the glaze in the 1995 BBC publication Delia Smith’s mins until it is elastic and springy (it will not dough, finishing about 1 inch short of the ingredients in a bowl and spread (as thinly as Christmas (a book well worth getting if you become as elastic as ordinary bread mixture dough edge, then fold the dough over marzi- possible) over the top of the still warm stollen. plan on cooking a traditional Christmas feast). though - due to the butter content). Return the pan (completely covering it) and place the Serve warm, cut into thick slices. Mmm... May The recipe freezes well so why not double the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling- whole thing on the buttered baking tray, allow- also be served cold, and can be sliced and recipe and make two loaves. wrap or a clean dampened tea-towel and leave ing room for it to expand. Lightly cover with frozen for keeping.   

How much should an everyday bottle of wine I came across in a bottle shop in wine cost? $14-$20 is probably the average. Edgecliff, Sydney. I decided to buy it as an But could it be cheaper than a packet of ‘emergency’ back-up for cooking during the chips? festive season, ever-mindful of the ‘anti- If you’re talking about cleanskins the freeze’ reputation that some cheaper wines answer is ‘yes’. You can actually get decent have had. Having tasted it, though, it is an tasting wine for under $2 a bottle! ‘Get the adequate Chardonnay for everyday drinking ROO for under $2’ Chardonnay is one such (just keep a bottle in the fridge).

www.cure.org.au Funding the critical early work of brilliant creative scientists as they pursue potential breakthrough research to solve the riddles on cancer cells. Contribute to the Cure & send your tax deductible gift to: PO Box R185 Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Tel 02 9251 61 88 JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 18/36

Travel News in Brief TASMANIA

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Three nights are in Prague, two in Vienna and one night in both Take a romantic escape to a Mediterranean-inspired guest Adventure World is offering savings of $255 a person on a Bratislava and Budapest. house in a calming country New South Wales setting. range of packages at various resorts on the exotic Indian Ocean The price - from $531 a person twin share - includes accommo- Situated in Bellingen, on the Mid North Coast of New South island of Mauritius if you book by January 30. dation in three-star hotels options, breakfasts and local taxes. Wales halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, Casa Belle is an The offer includes return economy airfares with Air Mauritius, Details: call 1300-558-987 or visit www.tempoholidays.com. elegant retreat set amid 13 acres of beautiful lawns and lush gar- airport transfers and a range of free resort activities including dens. windsurfing, kayaking, tennis, gymnasium and pedolos. KRAKOW Offering views of mountains and valley pastures from its hill- The six night package is priced at $1,888 from Perth, $2,208 top position, Casa Belle features three guest suites, each with a from Melbourne and $2,228 from Sydney. Details: call 1300- History buffs will be wrapped to immerse themselves in this private entrance from an Italian-style courtyard. 363-055 or visit www.adventureworld.com.au. Krakow adventure. All suites include little luxuries such as bowls of fresh fruit, See Krakow’s Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, the renais- fresh flowers, nuts and chocolates, complimentary port, Italian GOLD COAST sance Royal Castle at Wawel, Collegium Maius, the historic woven cotton bed linen and L’Occitane French toiletries from market square and the Gothic St Marys Basilica as part of Provence. Get the New Year off to a cool start with an escape to the Gold Tempo Holidays new three day Taste of Krakow package. Global accommodation search company roamfree.com has a Coast. The package is priced from $404 pp twin share which includes tempting deal, offering accommodation in a Deluxe Room Overlooking the renowned surfing beaches of Kirra, private arrival transfer to the modern Hotel Andels where from just $225 per room per night including sumptuous daily Greenmount and Rainbow Bay, Mantra Coolangatta Beach accommodation is provided for two nights, breakfasts and a breakfast for two people and afternoon tea with home-baked offers relaxation for families and couples. seat in coach morning city sightseeing tour. cakes or cheese and wine on arrival. Featuring landscaped gardens, a tennis court, fitness centre, out- The package can be extended to take in a six-hour Auschwitz- The website has availabilities at this rate from early February door pool, spa, sauna and barbecue area and deluxe beachfront Birkenau tour or a four hour Wieliczka Salt Mine tour. Both are through to 30 June, 2008. one and two bedroom apartments, this is the perfect place for a priced from $80 pp. Details: visit www.roamfree.com relaxing break. Details: call 1300-558-987 or visit www.tempoholidays.com Now is an ideal time to experience Mantra Coolangatta Beach, PHUKET where four nights come for the price of three. QUEENSLAND From 14 January to 20 March 2008, guests can enjoy four The luxurious resort, Bundarika Villa, nestled in one of the nights in a one bedroom apartment from just $573 per room per Soak up the sun, surf and sand on this tropical escape. most picturesque seaside pockets of Phuket, is offering visitors stay, which is normally what you would pay for three nights. When guests aren’t stretching out on sandy shores, a 4WD is up four nights for free when they pay for four nights through Details: call 131-517 or visit www.mantra.com.au. for grab to explore Fraser Island. Honeymoon Worldwide Holidays. View breathtaking corals and schools of rainbow coloured fish The package includes return economy airfares flying to Phuket THAILAND on the Great Barrier Reef and take in spectacular rainforest on on Thai Airways, eight nights staying at Bundarika Resort and the Kuranda Railway. Spa in a one bedroom Pool Villa, return airport transfers, a daily Thailand offers a myriad of experiences for travellers and as The AAT Kings seven day Tropical Getaway has departures wellness breakfast and a complimentary private car and driver part of its new Thailand program, Creative Holidays has includ- available from April 6 to November 30, 2008 and January 25 to for three hours per day. ed a variety of options for Australian travellers. November 29, 2009 and prices start from $1320 pp. Package prices start at $1699 per person from Sydney, Stay at the five star Anantara Resort and Spa, Golden Triangle Details: visit www.aatkings.com Melbourne and Brisbane and must be booked before January in a Deluxe Room from $157 a person, per night, twin share. 31 for travel from April 28 to June 26 and July 21 to September While at the resort take advantage of Creative Holidays’ cultur- MONACO 18, 2008. al excursions; pick up the techniques of Thai cuisine in one of Details: call 1300-650-965 the country’s best cooking schools and learn to be an elephant Rest weary bones and soak up the delights of a tour tracing AAP JANUARY 2008 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37

Greek church farewells a tireless leader By PAUL EASTON - The Dominion Post During 42 overseas trips he travelled widely in Korea, India, Hong Kong, the Philippines, His Eminence Metropolitan (Archbishop) Singapore and Indonesia, where he started Dionysios Psiachas headed the Greek churches and ordained local priests. Orthodox Church in New Zealand and Mourners heard these journeys never drew a Oceania for 33 years from 1970 till 2003. word of complaint or hint of tiredness. He died in Wellington Hospital on Sunday 6 Father Tsourapas Costantinos said Metro- January after a short illness, aged 91. politan Dionysios was a simple man, totally The Dominion Post was invited to his tradi- devoted to his church. tional funeral service at the ornate Greek Father Daniel, of the Orthodox Church in Orthodox Cathedral in Mt Victoria, where hun- Korea, said Metropolitan Dionysios’ body was dreds arrived to bid farewell. resting but his spirit was alive. The open casket service was a first for the “I have come from Korea to express our pro- church, a sign of respect for Metropolitan Dio- found thanks.” nysios. As the funeral ended, mourners pressed quiet- He was laid out with a ceremonial staff, and ly forward to kiss the hands that had blessed so wearing the Queen’s Service Medal he many. received in 1995. Both were removed before his burial at Makara cemetery. He was described as a simple man who SOLEMN TIME: His Eminence Dionysios worked tirelessly to stretch his church to coun- Psiahas is farewelled in the Greek Orthodox tries where the Greek Orthodox religion was Cathedral in Wellington’s Mt Victoria on unknown. Wednesday 9 January. Prehistoric finds in danger in Grevena Local residents challenge quarry permit

By Iota Myrtsioti - Kathimerini mously recommended that a permit “not be granted for the operation of the quarry and an Milia, Grevena, in northern Greece, immediate halt to the operation of the existing sparked worldwide interest when geolo- installation.” gists from Aristotle University uncovered According to the expert opinion of the First some remarkable paleontological remains. Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Among their recent finds are a 5-meter Antiquities, “an archaeological site with a tusk from a mastodon, Mammut borsoni, Neolithic settlement, remains of which were which lived some 2-3 million years ago. collected in 2003, has been destroyed in the 87,755-square-meter area.” The finds yield information about the life On these grounds, legal action was taken and environment of the massive beast that against the owners of the company on May roamed the once-forested area of Grevena. Zebras and leopards roamed Grevena 2,500 25, 2005 for “illegally operating a quarry and But their traces, which have survived 2.5 mil- years ago. This artist’s impression presents an polluting the environment, causing damage to lennia, are at risk of vanishing due to the environment whose traces are being studied a Neolithic settlement and risking the degra- exploitation of natural resources. So say resi- by experts but also under threat from mining. dation of the historic and cultural heritage of dents of Milia, who have appealed to the the surrounding area.” country’s highest administrative court, the both the environment (encroaching on a forest The permit to operate a quarry for 20 years Council of State, against a decision by the area) as well as paleontological and Neolithic on the 87,755-square-meter site was issued in Culture Ministry that had ruled in favor of a finds.” March 2006, when the culture minister over- quarry in the area. The privately owned quarry, according to the A 2,500-year-old tusk from the Mammut ruled an earlier decision which had not The 13 residents of Milia attest that “sand- appeal, has been in operation since 1997, borsoni that was found in Milia, Grevena. approved the preliminary environmental mining activity has brought about changes in despite negative reports from both the Culture and Speleology and the Local Monuments impact study for the project. the morphology of the land and destroyed Ministry’s Ephorate of Paleoanthropology Councils of Western Macedonia, who unani-

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THE THREE HIERARCHS – PATRONS OF EDUCATION By Mario Baghos illustrates the didactic importance of these two Fathers, with Gregory maintaining that It seems that in the Orthodox Church the work would be of great use to serious stu- there is an inter-relation of unity and dents of theology. Later in life he became the diversity which is manifested not only in Bishop (Patriarch) of Constantinople, but he its elaborate rituals and other external spent his final years writing in relative soli- expressions, but in the very life of the tude. St Gregory’s work is distinguished by a Church, feeding and nourishing its won- mature rhetorical style that undoubtedly derful tradition throughout the centuries. reflects his great erudition, which, like Basil, This unity and diversity which is so char- he put to use in his defence of the Holy Spirit acteristic of the Orthodox faith exists in a and his remarkable contributions to perfect, archetypal way in the life of the Trinitarian theology. Indeed, he was both a Holy Trinity: three distinct persons, theologian and a skilled poet, the latter being Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are con- linked to the former due to the fact that a poet substantial in their essence, so that we endeavours to say something about the reali- praise them as the one and only Lord and ty which exists behind or beyond the visible. God of all creation. God’s revelation to It can be said that a theologian struggles to do this world, which is fulfilled in the the same thing without attempting to circum- Church, pertinently manifests this unity scribe the mystery of this reality, the source and diversity: the faithful are united to of which is our ineffable God. St Gregory’s Christ and to each other in their struggle poetry and theology therefore reflect his pro- for virtue, in their participation in the found sensitivity to the divine reality, a sensi- Divine Liturgy, and in their partaking of tivity which is vividly expressed when he the sacraments – especially the sacrament says of his poetic gift: “I am an organ of the of Holy Commu-nion. The faithful in the Lord, and sweetly... do I glorify the King”. Church thereby truly constitute members of Christ’s body. Yet this powerful unity It is true that throughout his life St John does not compromise or annihilate their Chrysostom (347-407A.D) was engaged in individuality, but paradoxically fulfils it. many bitter conflicts resulting in exiles, the The members of the body of Christ are last of which he did not survive. Yet it is par- extremely diverse, with their own unique adoxically in light of these tragedies that he personalities and gifts bestowed on them emerges as the Church’s ‘golden mouthed’ by God freely and out of his boundless preacher. As a young man, St John dedicated love. himself to rigid forms of asceticism, which, although permanently damaging his health, You may be wondering what any of this has endowed him with the necessary disposition to do with the feast of the Three Hierarchs - to shepherd the inhabitants of the city where St Basil the Great, St Gregory the he would become Bishop – Constantinople. Theologian, and St John Chrysostom - three Here, St John exercised his eloquent speak- of the Church’s greatest exponents. In the ing skills, delivering his sermons with bril- 11th century, there arose in Constantinople a liance and solidifying his reputation of one of vehement dispute over which of the three the greatest orators of Christian antiquity. His was greatest. According to tradition, the three knowledge of the Bible was vast; his inter- of them appeared to St John Mauropous, pretation of it was directly relevant to con- Bishop of Euchaita, in a vision, exclaiming temporary situations and highly praised. The that “There are no divisions among us and no primary worship of the Orthodox Church is opposition to one another”. The Bishop of the Liturgy which bears his name. His reform Euchaita proceeded to create a shared feast of the clergy and his vehement criticism of day for the three which is celebrated on 30th the excesses of the imperial authorities are a January, thus ending the controversy and ardent dedication to the monastic life is except in the Holy Spirit; it is impossible to testament to his unyielding commitment to emphasising the unity of these renowned expressed in his writings, such as his Moralia call upon the Father except in the Spirit of the Church, and the Church reciprocates by Church figures. Indeed, this unity has sever- and Asketika, which outline the ethical and adoption”. honouring him as our Father amongst the al dimensions: spiritual guidelines to be observed by those Saints. • all three are Saints of our Church; in monastic communities. A Bishop of the Modern scholarship usually distinguishes St • all three are theologians, though only St Church of Caesarea, Basil was also commit- Gregory (329-389 A.D.) from other Saints of On 30th January each year, therefore, we Gregory has had that sacred epithet perma- ted to the temporal and spiritual needs of his the same name by the appellation venerate the three great Hierarchs. Three nently attached to his name, and congregation. This is not only manifested in ‘Nazianzen’, which is the name of the town diverse personalities, each one of them hav- • all three are considered Patrons of his sermons, such as the renowned On the Six in Cappadocia where he sojourned, studied, ing their own respective feast day; each one Orthodox education and literacy. Days of Creation, but in his ceaseless chari- and preached. The Orthodox Church, how- of them edifying the people of God and con- table works. He set up countless philanthrop- ever, has applied to him the solemn title of tributing to the life of the Church in his own Yet despite their profound similarities, each ic institutions and provided for the poor and ‘Theologian’, thus demonstrating not only unique way. Yet there is also much signifi- one of them contributed to the life of the underprivileged; his prodigious charity hav- his importance with reference to his ‘lan- cance in the fact that we venerate them Church in his own unique and special way. ing been described to me once as facilitating guage about God’, but also the difference in together on a single day, for despite their a sort of ‘cultural revolution’ in the ancient perception between the Church and the varying talents, theological expressions and St Basil (329/333 -379 A.D.) was thoroughly world. But he was also an insightful ecclesi- world, the former preferring to emphasise his emphases, they are all witnesses of a single educated in the curriculum of late antiquity astic. Basil did not compromise on matters of ability, as much as humanly possible, to truth: the reality of the Trinity and of God and prided himself on being a ‘philosopher’. Church doctrine, such as those established at express the divine mystery as opposed to his made flesh in Jesus Christ. They are a testa- This meaningful term, however, came to the First Ecumenical Council in 325 A.D. mere geographical associations. ment to the unity and diversity inherent with- mean much more to him than a love of wis- Despite the theological controversies which in Orthodoxy and, as confirmed by the vision dom in any general or abstract sense. raged in his day, he maintained the divinity of A contemporary of St Basil, St Gregory col- of St John Mauropous in the 11th century, Although he appreciated and even extolled the Holy Spirit against those who would dis- laborated with his ‘brother of the spirit’ to they forever remain ‘without opposition and the positive features of classical philosophy, parage the Spirit’s importance in relation to compose a collection of extracts from the division’ in terms of the faith they espoused, he frequently related the term to a life of total the Father and the Son, leading him to affirm writings of the ill-fated Christian writer the faith revealed to humanity by God obedience to God, to monasticism. His that “It is impossible to worship the Son Origen entitled the Philokalia. The work through grace and embodied in the Church. ÔÏ ÂÇÌÁ - IANOYAÑÉÏÓ 2008 ÓÅËÉÄÁ 39 ÓÅËÉÄÁ 40 ÔÏ ÂÇÌÁ - ÉÁÍÏÕÁÑÉÏÓ 2008 ÔÏ ÂÇÌÁ - ÉÁÍÏÕÁÑÉÏÓ 2008 ÓÅËÉÄÁ 41 ÓÅËÉÄÁ 42 ÔÏ ÂÇÌÁ - ÉÁÍÏÕÁÑÉÏÓ 2008