In what can be interpreted as another indication of the Hellenic community’s strong contribution to the prosperity of Australia, there are at least 14 Greek-Australians from all walks of life in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.
This is the first awards given under the reign of King Charles III in what we knew for more than 70 years as the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
This year there are 1191 recipients in all the divisions, including awards in the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for distinguished and conspicuous service.
Using the criterion of the Greek surname, we have identified 14 recipients from the Greek community.
This year features a COVID-19 Honour Roll that recognises the contribution of 73 Australians to the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On this roll, in the category of member (AM) in the General Division, is Clinical Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis, from Victoria, for her significant service to medicine through a range of roles, and to women’s health.
“This is a great honour and the first person I thought of was my mother and how proud she would be if she were alive. She raised the three of us on her own. So much that drives me comes from her influence on me,” A/Prof Simonis told Neos Kosmos, whose mother was from Thessaloniki.
The other Greek-Australian on this roll, receiving a Public Service Medal (PSM), is Ms Bobby Antoniou, from ACT’s Chifley, for her outstanding public service to public health, as the Liaison Officer for the Australian Capital Territory COVID-19 Clinic.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Mrs Claire Gazis, VIC, for her service to the Greek and Cypriot communities of Victoria.
A passion for and commitment to telling the stories of the Greek and Cypriot people who came to Australia particularly during the 1950s and 1960s has been the main driver for Claire Gazis.
“I wanted to build knowledge and understanding in the Australian community of our shared culture and help cultivate strong ties not just with each other but to Australia.”
Sharing her research and knowledge about the Greek and Cypriot community is very satisfying.
“I feel a purpose to share what I know so that everyone benefits. No request is too big or too small, I see the value in connecting with my community, learning, and growing together for collective joy and fulfilment.”
Mrs Gazis worked for more than thirty years at this newspaper (Neos Kosmos), developing wide-reaching connections, and reporting on and recording activities and developments throughout the country. Claire is still a regular contributor.
“I enjoy and feel proud to be a member of our multicultural community and it is moving to be appreciated for what I have spent so much of my life in Australia doing.”
“Above all, I feel that any recognition strengthens my drive and sense of responsibility to do more for the community.”
Mrs Gazis gave special mention to her late husband Nikolaos. “I feel gratitude to him because he gave me the space and understanding to expand my volunteer work. A special thank you to the Editor-in-Chief of Neos Kosmos, for allowing me the opportunity to balance my obligations at the newspaper with my time working in the community. I am also grateful to Dennis Patisteas OAM, Business Director, for his support; and of course to my family.”
Ms Mechel Pikoulas, Canterbury NSW, received an OAM award for her service to education.
Ms Pikoulas served as Principal of Strathfield Girls High School, and a teacher for over 30 years, possessing an understanding of what is needed to support young people to reach their full potential.
“We need to empower the voices of young people, and nurture them to become service-inspired citizens who are ready to embrace and add value to community,” she said.
“As a passionate educator, the greatest impact of the work that I do is inspiring hope and self-belief in young people. It’s such a joy!”
“I am always inspired by the optimism and generosity of young people. Being able to support some of our most vulnerable learners so that they can rise above disadvantage and hardship, realise their potential, and strive for personal excellence is always fulfilling.”
Ms Pikoulas believes there are many pathways to achievement and points to adventure-based coaching and enrichment program.
“It’s an important way of reaching young people who might need a different pathway to build skills for their own success.”
Humbled and honoured by her award of the Medal of the Order of Australia, Ms Pikoulas added:
“I am extremely privileged to serve as a principal, growing our young leaders, partnering with exceptional parents and working alongside brilliant educators. If I were to thank anyone, it would be the thousands of students who have given me such joy throughout my teaching career.”
Mr Efstratios Poulos and Mrs Angelica Poulos, Darwin NT, each received OAM awards for their service to the Greek community of Darwin.
For more than 40 years, the husband-and-wife team of Angelica Poulos and Efstratios Poulos have been raising awareness of and funds for a range of community activities in the Northern Territory.
For the past 20 years they have focused mainly on the Greek Language and Hellenic Studies program at Charles Darwin University (CDU). The program offers students an opportunity to study Greek language and culture. It is also conducting research to document the history of Greek pioneering migrants to the Northern Territory and Australia.
“It is contributing to the evidence base of the significant cultural and economic contribution that the Greek community has and continues to have to the NT and Australia,” said Mrs Poulos.
“I am proud to be Australian of Greek heritage and that I grew up in Darwin, Australia’s most multicultural city.”
“I love to share my culture. I feel I have been able to help further promote harmony, embracing the multicultural fabric of our society.”
Mrs Poulos particularly likes to see the impact of learning on the university students in the program.
“I grew up in Darwin at a time before there was a university here. It is so important to me that we support our university. Students tell me how much they have learned, the wonderful experiences they have had; I feel that I have been able to make a difference.”
Mr and Mrs Poulos first met at the Hellenic Macedonian Association of the NT in 1977, raising awareness and fundraising for disability services in Darwin and forging a life-long commitment.
They are proud Northern Territorians, who are also passionate about their Greek heritage, and honoured to be Australian citizens.
“We have had so many opportunities. We take every chance to volunteer and give back,” said Mr Poulos.
Mr Poulos says that for them both to be awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia is a great honour. “But this is a work in progress, work which has come from all of the community,” said Mr Poulos.
They agree that community support for student learning opportunities is very important. “Universities cannot do this alone. Just as a community alone, without a university cannot achieve and prosper,” said Mrs Poulos.
Both are committed to continuing their various fundraising and community work, including raising awareness of and providing services for local disability services.
They extended thanks to all their friends and family in Australia, the Northern Territory and overseas, the Greek community, and those at CDU who have supported their contributions.
Mr Theodore John Bacalakis, Clifton Beath QLD, received an OAM award for his service to the Greek community of Queensland.
“From humble and small beginnings, we were able to build our church in Cairns and from there look after the needs of young families when we established our not-for-profit, St. John’s Child care Centre. We then went on to look after our elderly when we established St. John’s Community Care in 1997,” said Mr Bacalakis whose grandparents migrated from Asia Minor.
“We started off with one part time employee and twelve clients. Today we have over 5000 clients and over 300 staff across the state of Queensland. I am so proud that our small Greek Community is supporting so many people from diverse cultures and faiths,” the father of two, with five grandchildren, said.
“I would also like to acknowledge our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia for the trust and support in the voluntary work that we do and continue to do.”
Mr Terry (Elefterios) Psarakis, Tamworth NSW, was awarded an OAM for his service to sport, particularly to cricket.
“It is a great honour. Very humbling. As my father Jim (Dimitrios) Psarakis was awarded OAM in 1986 for services to the Community, especially the Greek Community, I am very proud to be honoured as well,” Mr Psarakis told Neos Kosmos.
His father was born in Faraklo (near Neapolis) and his mother (Venetia) was born in Foutia (near Monemvasia).
Mr Michael (Mike) Zervos, Brighton VIC, received an OAM for his service to the community through charitable organisations.
Mr Zervos felt extremely proud to be given this award, given the sacrifices his father and maternal grandfather made by migrating to Greece from Kastellorizo.
“I’m honoured to receive an OAM as it pays tribute to what they did for us. I feel we have an obligation to contribute to our country and help others. My wife Roslyn Zervos (nee Peronis) family is also all from Kazzie. Even though we are born in and are proud Australia’s we never forget our Greek heritage.”
Mr George Cotis (family name being Papacotis), Gymea NSW 2227, received an OAM award for his service to conservation and the environment.
“I am humbled and proud to receive this honour. As a first-generation Australian-Greek, I can’t begin to imagine what my parents and grandparents would think. My grandparents and my father came to Australia from Kastellorizo in the early 20th Century, penniless and in search of a better life,” he said.
“Their early life here was one of hardship but their move to Australia and their work set the next generations up for an educated and better life. I now have a large extended family all of whom are the beneficiaries of their courage.”
Mr Cotis elaborated that his environmental work was always pro-bono, believing strongly that future generations deserved a healthy world.
“This meant that there has been an activist side to my work, but overall, it has been from my deep love of this place. However, I have never lost my deep sense of my roots and the love and respect for all that means.”
Ms Stacey Solomou (SA), received an Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) for her sustained and meritorious commitment to ambulance services, the South Australian Ambulance Service, and the South Australian community.
“I feel exceptionally honoured to be awarded the Ambulance Service Medal but to me, what it means. I’ve been a paramedic for 25 years now. Even though I’m accepting this award on behalf of myself, it’s really a culmination of working with so many other people,” the Cypriot-Australian told ‘N.K.’
“Being a paramedic is a really privileged honour because you come into people’s lives when they are at their worst and so the privilege that comes with that…I can’t describe it. The award is something for me but it’s all those people that I’ve worked with over the years and all the teams and my colleagues that have really allowed me to be at this point,” she said.
“My family as well, had to put up with me missing Christmases and missing Mother’s Days and you can’t do that as a person on your own, that comes with a huge support network. So I accept the award for me but I accept it on behalf of everyone that has been a part of my career.”
Other people to receive OAM awards include Ms Suzanne Caragianis, Aldinga Beach SA, for her service to occupation therapy and Mr Antonios Stavros Koufos, Yokine WA, for his service to the Greek community of Western Australia.
Also found is the name of Mrs Jeannette Joy Tsoulos from West Pymble NSW, who is receiving an OAM award for service to the Jewish community. She is married to a Greek man whose origins are from Filiatra, Peloponnisos.
In the category Member (AM) in the General Division is Mr Leonidas Earlston Pericles, WA, for his significant service to the visual arts.
There is another name that may be Greek: Ms Ann Polis from Fitzroy VIC, who received an OAM award for service to the community through a range of organisations, but we have not yet received confirmation of her origins.