Page 3684 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 21 November 2007
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Along with other early Greek immigrants, Helen was instrumental in establishing the Greek community of Canberra in 1946 which Harry served as both president and treasurer. As has been mentioned, she was a foundation member and served as president of the Orthodox Church’s ladies’ auxiliary, which raised money to assist the needy. She was held in high esteem as matriarch of the community, and her advice was regularly sought because of her wisdom and confidentiality. Interestingly, St Paul’s Church in Manuka was a special place for Helen as some early orthodox services were conducted there. She sent her children there for Sunday school and she donated to the recent extensions, as her husband had done to the original building.
In 1950, for the first time since she came here, she returned to Greece to visit her mother, but it was not until 1966 that she enjoyed a Christmas in Greece with her siblings. Not having her mother close by from the age of 16 contributed to her becoming a very strong, resolute and devout woman who instilled in her children a work ethic and the importance of integrity and keeping one’s foot on the ground.
Helen always remained abreast of the family’s property and real estate interests. She was the recipient of the Real Estate Institute of the ACT commercial chapter’s inaugural property industry award, which recognised the contributions made by her family to the development of Canberra. Her late husband was named in the Canberra Times as one of the “75 faces of Canberra”. Australia was good to Helen and she counted her blessings rather than her successes. She is survived by five children—Jim, George, Nina, John and Emmanuel—12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. (Time expired.)
Economy—Australian government contribution
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella) (6.08): In this adjournment debate I just want to reflect a bit about the debate on Mr Stefaniak’s motion earlier on today. Surely this motion by Mr Stefaniak is some sort of joke. For him to ask the Assembly to acknowledge the contribution that the Australian government makes to the economy of the territory, and then to ask the leader of the federal opposition—hopefully soon to be Prime Minister—to continue that contribution, is as if Mr Stefaniak and his party, local and federal branches, have completely lost sight of the fact that Canberra is the national capital, even though all of the works he mentions in his motion are connected to the ACT as the national capital.
There was nothing on his list that directed anything to the lives of those who actually live here. Of course, those of us that live here know and acknowledge the contribution our families, friends and neighbours, the employees of the Australian government, make to our economy. They are the workers whose incomes are spent here. They are the workers who buy homes here and they are the workers whom property developers build office blocks for.
Their contribution is clear. The contribution of the Australian government, defined as the collective ministry, is less clear. The Liberal Prime Minister has refused to live here during his 11-year reign. The Liberal Treasurer bags the national capital at every opportunity. The Liberal Attorney-General intervened to overturn our laws and
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