Albanese’s Remarks Raise the Ire of Some in the Greek Community
by Fotis Kapetopoulos
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently sparked anger among many in the Greek Australian community following his enthusiastic praise for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese during the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew. Albanese’s statement that “for a century, the Church has preserved the culture and language of Australia’s Greek community, connecting generations to their heritage” has drawn criticism from many members of the community.
A letter addressed to the Prime Minister refuted his assertion, stating, “With all due respect Prime Minister, you got it wrong! It is our communities that have fought for the preservation of Greek language and culture.”
The signatories emphasized the significant role of unions, secular Greek community organizations, and various associations in promoting the Greek language and culture over the years.
The letter underscored the contributions of the established Greek communities in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and other cities, which “created the schools that taught and continue to teach Greek to thousands of young Greek Australians for over a century.”
The authors added, “These same organizations, together with many ordinary working-class Greek Australians during the 70s, lobbied respective state governments to ensure that Greek was taught in the public education system, because apart from a community language it is also an Australian language, thus, making it accessible to all and not just the few.”
The late historian, Professor Michael Tsounis, documented the rise of what he termed “ethnic Greek community schools” in 1975. According to Tsounis, over 600 schools were in existence at that time, encompassing secular Greek Orthodox community schools, as well as privately run institutions. The letter highlighted that secular community organizations, including unions and Orthodox communities, played an equal if not greater role in this effort.
It is easy to be confused by what is a complex history of Greek community development in Australia. Until the Schism between the Archdiocese and self-governed Greek communities in 1959, secular, and self-determined Greek organizations, those not under the auspices of the Archdiocese, used the term “Orthodox” in their titles as they ran their own churches and paid their own priests. So, it is easy to get confused—in essence schools run by Greek Orthodox Communities on the whole had nothing to do with the Archdiocese.
In his enthusiasm to honor Australia’s Greek communities and the visiting Patriarch, the prime minister may have become confused over the nomenclature, that’s easy. He overlooked the significant contributions of non-church organizations in maintaining the Greek language and culture.
The PM did not know he was wading into an historical clash between secular and religious authorities for the soul of Greece and Greeks. A conflict that flairs up in the history of modern Greece, and its Diaspora. Albanese clearly wasn’t fully briefed on the extensive work by various secular Greek organizations in preserving Greek heritage within Australia.
November 23, 2024
Fotis Kapetopoulos heads Kape Communication, a multicultural communications, media, policy and community engagement company. He is senior adviser and contributor to Neos Kosmos, Australia’s leading Greek Australian media outlet on Greek and English.
Originally published in Neos Kosmos, 30 October 2024.