THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] FEBRUARY 2004 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 In this issue... Our Primate’s View The public image PAGE 5/23 AUSSIES CHASING Volunteer army gives GOLD IN ATHENS ATHOC cause On an April morning in Athens in 1896, Teddy Flack Unlike that spring 108 years ago when Flack was the only for optimism bounced out of his bed at the home of the British Ambas- Australian to compete, this year there will be some 500 athletes, sador to Greece, breakfasted well on kippers and proceeded the biggest Australian team ever at an “away” Olympics. to live out one of the most remarkable days in Australian They have no chance of repeating the 1896 average of two PAGE 18/36 sport. olive wreaths for every competitor - and an equally slim chance Flack, a Melbourne accountant who was on a month’s holiday of repeating the Sydney haul of four years ago - 16 gold. But they from his job in the London offices of Messrs Price Waterhouse, might not be far short. began the momentous day by slipping into the tennis whites that On the positive side are the results at world championship and the Ambassador’s obliging butler had laid out for him. other benchmark events over the past year. In 2003, Australian The butler had also packed a pair of athletic shorts, some run- athletes won 50 medals in competition that approached Olympic ning shoes and a tasselled hat for the man who two days earlier standard. There are, however, a few negatives. had become one of the first champions of the modern Olympic No Cathy Freeman, for example. And Ian Thorpe’s “king of Games. Flack had won the inaugural Olympic 1500m, and on the pool” crown isn’t sitting quite so squarely as it did a couple this day was to attempt the double in the 800m. But first he had of years ago. to a play a few sets in the Olympic tennis tournament. There is also the loss of the home ground advantage to the He obviously took little harm from the tennis because, after a Greek athletes and, in effect, to a lot of other European countries quick change and a dash across town, Flack duly collected his who had to make their longest Olympic journey ever to get to second Olympic title in the 800m. Sydney. For Australia there should be gold medals in swimming, That spin around the Olympic arena and the olive wreath it athletics, sailing, rowing, cycling, canoeing and shooting. produced - there were no medals awarded in 1896 - presumably But at an event where the line between expectation and reali- filled Flack with a feeling approaching invincibility, for he plant- ty is often blurred, the difference between success and failure New information ed the tasselled hat squarely on his head and ran that same after- could well come down to the performances of Jana Pittman and noon in the marathon. Ian Thorpe. sheds light Despite having not previously tested himself beyond 20km, The biggest Australian certainty at the Games, though, is Grant Flack was in the lead with four kilometres to run when, it is Hackett. Not many countries are very interested in the 1500m recorded by Olympic historians, he began to “weave and sway”. freestyle and Hackett is probably one of the main reasons why. on Nazi atrocities The faithful butler who had accompanied him throughout the These will be the first Olympic Games for national cycling race on a bicycle left a Greek spectator to care for Flack while he coach Shayne Bannan who took over after Sydney, and it could PAGE 7/25 pedalled off for assistance. well be the best ever for his sport. Delirious from his exertions, Flack, in the belief that he was Australia is the nominal favourite for the 4000m team pursuit being attacked, rose up punched the spectator to the ground. and should win with a number of other medal chances from a The record goes on to say that the butler later found his gen- team of 27. tleman at the main stadium being tended to by Prince Nicholas Another sport in which Australia has won a world championship of Greece, who was attempting to revive him with a drink of in the past year is rowing. There are bound, also, to be surprises. brandy and egg. For the first time since Flack became Australia’s Among the possibilities there are sports such as diving, archery first Olympic champion, Australians will go to the home of the and gymnastics. Games in August to celebrate an Olympiad. AAP TRAVEL Knossos: The birthplace of Minoan civilization Opening of the Law Term Service in NSW PAGE 16/34 PAGE 2/20 FEBRUARY 2004 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA DID YOU KNOW? Winston Churchill was a stutterer. As a child, one of his teachers warned, "Because of his stuttering he should be discouraged from following in his father's political footsteps." Opening of the Law Term Service in NSW On Tuesday 10 February 2004, at the What does such a priority actually mean? Cathedral of the “Annunciation of our Is it important only for the Judiciary and Lady”, His Eminence Archbishop members of the legal profession, or is it Stylianos conducted the Service for the equally important - if not more important - Opening of the Law Term 2004 in NSW. for all of us as everyday citizens living under Dignitaries present were the Hon Jim a certain legislation which changes from Spigelman AC, Chief Justice of NSW, His time to time, according to the needs or the Honour Justice Shane Marshall (Federal political situation of each period of history? Court), Justice Keith Mason AC, President There is no doubt that the priority of of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ken Handley moral and divine order over any legal sys- AO, Judge of Appeal, Justice Peter Young, tem or court decisions is, in first line, impor- Chief Judge in Equity, Justice Barry tant for all servants of Law, whether in the O’Keefe AM, Mr and Mrs Raptakis, Judiciary or in the legal profession. It is His Eminence and the Chief Justice lead Consul-General for Greece, the Hon Bob obvious that, only by keeping in mind the the procession into the Cathedral Debus, Attorney-General, also representing mentioned priority will they be protected fundamental Commandments - and particu- the Hon Bob Carr, the Hon John Hatzister- from hubris or any other audacity towards larly in their underlined hierarchical order - gos, Minister for Justice, Mr Gordon Salier, the State and the society they serve. we are given, once and for all, the simplest President of the Law Society, Mr I. Harrison, On the other hand, it is also the obligation form of a comprehensive codex, which cov- President of the NSW Bar Association, Sir of us all to keep in mind this priority, so that ers equally all our obligations in religious, Arthur George, Mr Paul Nicolaou, repre- we do not, from the outset, expect 'miracles' moral and legal aspects. senting the Leader of the Opposition the from servants of the Judiciary or Law, who And yet, the most admirable element of this Hon John Brogden, Dr S. Ozdowski, too are only human beings! codex is the fact that there is no mention of Federal Commissioner for Human Rights, Precisely for this reason, the rest of soci- any distinction in religion, gender, race or THE IDES OF MARCH: Mr G. Todoraya, Consulate General for the ety has not only to pray for them, due to all any form of ideology, which could create March 15, 44 B.C. Russian Federation, Mr S. Karas, of the the risks they undertake in every individual potential obstacles for the desired ideals of Refugee Review Tribunal, Mr S. case of court proceedings. It must also help peace, justice and prosperity for all people Gaius Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome, is Kerkyasharian, Chairman of the Commu- them in all possible ways to reach a better in all times. stabbed to death in the Roman Senate nity Relations Commission of NSW, Mr M. judgement through our support, under- After all the above, let us hope and pray house by 60 conspirators led by Marcus Diamond, AM MBE, Mr Quang Luu, Head standing and good will. that all political and religious leaders in our Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius of SBS Radio and many members of the Following all the above, it is very charac- troubled world bear in mind, at least in times Longinus. legal profession. teristic that our Lord both condenses and of international tension and crisis, the sim- declares the value of all Law and all ple truths that the Word of God has remind- Clay TKO’s Liston: In his address, His Eminence Archbishop Prophets in only two Commandments: ed us of in today's Gospel reading. February 25, 1964 Stylianos stated the following: Firstly, to love God with all our heart, soul On behalf of all Clergy and laity of our Following our already long-established and mind, which is literally the great and Archdiocese, and of all member Churches of On February 25, 1964, 22-year-old Cassius tradition of praying together at the begin- first Commandment. Secondly, to love our the Standing Conference of Canonical Clay shocks the odds-makers by dethroning ning of the Law Term, we gathered today neighbour as ourselves, which is similar to Orthodox Churches of Australia (SCCO- world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny once again in this magnificent Church build- the first, but secondary.