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SPEECH NOTES FOR THIE PIM MINISTER;, TIE HON. E. G. WIHITLAM, Q. C. M
FOR TIE GREEK COMMUNITY CENTRE, SOUTH IRISBANE
SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 1974
1. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY AS YOUR1 COUNTRYMEN IN GREECE
VOTE IN A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION FOR TIll,,' FIRST ' TIHflE SINCE 1967.
I REJOICE THALT DEIMOCRACY HAS BEE-', N HESTOZD IN THE COUNTRY OF
ITS BIRTH. THE ELECTE GOVERNMPNT OF GMEECE WILL HAVE TIHE
FIRM SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP OF AUSTRALIA, ITS GOVERNMENT AND
ITS PEOPLE.
2. I KNO1, THAT INMANY GRES IN AUSTRALIA FEARED FOR
THE POLITICAL STABILITY OF THEIR 11OI-I'AND DURING TILE RULE OF
TIHE COLON[ ELS AND EVEN AFTEIZ, T1IE MILITARY R. EGIME WAS OVERTIIIROWN.
MANY G1' EEKS WH10 FOUND THISlELVES IN AUSTRALIA AS TLii; OR ARY
VISITORS DURING Tl RECENT TU1i6ULENCE IN GREECE HAVE BEE'N
RELUCTANT TO RETURN H1OME UNITIL TIE SITUATION IS CLAIFI1IIIED.
TILE AUSTRALIAN GOVERUNMENT HAS NOT ENVORCUGD THEIR DEPARTURE
AND WILL NOT DO SO. T1hOS; E fllU DO NOT WANT TO RETURN HIOME
INNEI.; DIATELY HAVE HAD TIIEIZi VISAO; EXTZNtJ) E) AND TIllS PRACTICE
WILL CONTINUE FOR TIlE TINE BEINGi TIll MINISTER FOR LABOR AND
IMMIGRATION, MR1C1L YDE CAMEIZON, HAS GIVEN T1llS ASSURANCE TO THE
GREEK COMMIUNITY, AND I AN HAPPY TO ILWEPLAT IT TODAY. / 2
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3. iANY GREEKS' IN AUSTiRALIA HAVE BEEN DISTURBED BY
THE RECENT EVENTS. IN CYPRUS. AUSTRALIA HAS CONTRIBUTED A
POLICE CONTINGENT TO THE U. N. PEIACE KIEPING FORCE IN CYPIHUS
SINCE ITS INCEPTION ' IN 1964. QUEENSLAND, LIKE EVERY OTHIER11
STATE AND TERRITORY; CONTRIBUTED TO TIAT. FORCE. ONE OF TIlE
FIRST DECISIONS OF MY GOVERNMENT WAS TO IKEE1' TIlE FORCE IN
BEING, THOUGH THE LIBIERAL GOVERlNMENT HAD DECIDED TO PHASE
IT OUT. DURING 1973. IN JANUARY 1973 I WROTE TO T II PRELIERS
OF QUEENSLAND, N. S. W. AND VICTORIA'ASKING THEM TO MAINTAIN
THEIR POLICE CONTINGENTS IN THIE FORCE. SIR ROBERT ASKIN AND
MR HIIAMER AGREED TO DO SO.. -Rn B1ELKEI-PETERSEN WAS TILE ONLY
PRtEiIER TO REFUSE. TIHE FORCE NUiBERED 35 IN JUNE 1974.
LAST VEEK AN AUSTRALIAN SERGEANT WASO KILLED AND ANOTHER
INJURED BY A MINE EXPLOSION DURING SERVICE IN CYPRUS.
' 1 NOTES ON GREEKS IN AUSTRALIA
SOME OF TIlE FIRST GREE'i SETTLERS IN AUSTRALIA W'EI. E
SAILORS WHIIO LEFT THEIR SHIPS DURING TIIE FIRST GOLD RUSH IN
TIlE 1850' S. A NUMBER OF IONIAN GREEKS WHO0 MET AUSTRALIAN
TROOPS DURING THE BOERi WAR EVENTUALLY S:' TTLED IN AUSTRALIA.
MANY LINKS BETVEEN AUSTRALIANS AND GREEKS ESTABLISHED DURING
THE EVACUATION OF GREECE IN-ORLD WAR II ARE STILL REMEMBERED
IN BOTH COUNTRIES. AT TlHE END OF 1973 THERlE V\ ERlE, ABOUT 153,000 GREEKBORN
PEIRSONS IN AUSTRALIA. ABOUT 88; 000 HAD BECOME AUSTRALIAN
CITIZENS SINCE 1945.. / 3
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, SIR GEORGE BOVIEN, THE FIRST GOVERNOR OF QUEENSLAND
( 1856-68), SPENT MANY YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE IONIAN ISLANDS.
HIS WIFE, DIAMANTINA ROMA, WAS LBORN ON ITHACA. SHE WAS
PARTICULARLY ACTIVE : IN THE PUBLIC LIFE OF QUEENSLAND AND IS
REMEMBERED IN THE NAMES OF THE TOWN OF ROMA, THE DIAMANTINA
RIVER AND ITHACA SHIRE.
GEORGE GEORGES, BORN IN DARWIN OF GREEK PARENTS, LS
BEEN AN AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND SINCE
1968. NICHOLAS LAURENITUS 1O110 BECAME A MILLIONAIRE TIIOUGH
REAL ESTATE IIAS LMADE CONSIDERABLE DONATIONS TO CHAIITABLE
OIRGANISATIONS AND GAVE'A LARGE SUNI TO TIIE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
TO ESTABLISH A CHAIR OF . IODERN GII; EK.
MICHAEL KAILIS HAS ESTABLISHIED A CONSIDERIABLE
FORTUNE TIIROUGII IIIS SHIP BUILDING, FISHING AND SEAFOOD
PROCESSING INDUSTRIES IN lrESTER'N AUSTRALIA AND THE NORTHERN
TERRITORY, TIHE GREEK ORT01ODOX CHlURCH IIAS P1OIIED TIE BACKBONE
OF ORGANISED GREEK LIFE IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 1908 AND HAS
. PIROVIDED TIHE FOCUS FOR SOCIAL COHESION.
( FOR BACKGROUND ON MIGIRANTS GEN1ERALLY SEE ATTACHED NOTES ON
ITALIANS.)