Latest news with #GreekAustralians
SBS Australia
02-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Voters head to the polls to elect Australia's next government
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with . TRANSCRIPT Voting booths open across the country as Australia elects its next government. Gaza-bound aid activists attacked by a drone in international waters. And in sport, surfer Stephanie Gilmore prepares to compete in the Gold Coast Pro. After five weeks of campaigning Australians head to the polls to decide the nation's political future with millions of voters casting a ballot today. A final YouGov poll of more than 3000 people released on today puts Labor in the box seat to form majority government. The poll reveals Labor is ahead 52.2 per cent to 47.8 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. The YouGov poll also revealed 38 per cent of those surveyed had cast their ballot during the pre-poll period. Labor goes into election day with 78 seats, while the coalition have 57 in the 150-seat House of Representatives. A majority of 76 seats is needed for a party to form government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told SBS News that Australians can't trust that the Coalition won't impose new restrictions on pensioners who travel overseas. He says Coalition costing documents released on Thursday show the LNP plans to impose cuts on some pensions. "Including, of course, if pensioners go overseas for four weeks, then they'll have their pensions suspended. Now that will impact many of your listeners, elderly Greek Australians, Italian Australians, Portuguese Australians, so many Australians who do share their time between Australia and the country of their birth." Opposition leader Peter Dutton denies this, telling S-B-S the Coalition has no plan to change payments to pensioners based on overseas travel. "It's just completely false, and I think it's actually shameful that the prime minister would seek to scare older Australians. It's just another lie out of this campaign, unfortunately, and I've really made a focus on talking about our positive plan, and this is just a frankly misleading comment from the prime minister, and it's designed to scare people on the eve of an election." A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists headed for Gaza has been bombed by drones in international waters off Malta. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition NGO uploaded footage showing a fire on one of its ships and accused Israel of the attack. Israel has so far not responded to these claims. The Maltese government says the 12 crew members and four civilians on board are safe. SBS spoke to Australian activist Surya McEwan who was due to join the Gaza aid ship and he says if the strike occurred hours later he would have been onboard. "It was shocking to all of us but we've had that feeling of being shocked by the atrocities that are happening over and over and over again for the last couple of years so maybe we shouldn't have been so shocked. It was a surprise though. Our intention today was to take a small crew out to tend to the injuries of those onboard and to assess the damage to the ship. The Maltese military intervened and we weren't able to get onto the ship." Nigel Farage's populist, right-wing Reform UK party has won a parliamentary seat in northwest England by the smallest ever margin in a parliamentary by-election in the country's history. Reform's Sarah Pochin beat Labour's candidate by just six votes in Runcorn and Helsby which had previously been a safe Labour seat with the party winning more than half the area's votes in last year's national election. The anti-immigration party also saw significant local wins, electing two regional mayors in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire. Party leader Nigel Farage says the wins are a sign of bigger things to come for Reform. 'This is phenomenal. We've got swings going on towards Reform, massive swings from Conservatives in Staffordshire, massive swings from Labor happening in Doncaster, happening right here in one of their safest seats in the country. So it's a big exciting night for us." Germany's domestic intelligence agency has classified the far-right Alternative for Germany party as an extremist threat, despite the party winning the second largest number of votes in February's federal election. The move will enable authorities to monitor the party more closely, including by using secret methods like recruiting confidential informants and intercepting communications. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser says the party pursues efforts against Germany's democratic order. "Their nationalist attitude is shown in racist remarks, especially against immigrants and Muslims. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has a clear legal mandate to combat extremism and protect our democracy, and it operates independently." Stephanie Gilmore says the competitive fires are still burning as she prepares to return to the World Surf League where she will take on rivals almost half her age. As an eight-time world champion and six-time winner of the Gold Coast Pro - which gets underway this weekend - Gilmore has nothing left to prove. But the 36-year-old says the drive to compete has never gone away, which is why she's making a one-off appearance at the Gold Coast Pro before returning full-time to the tour next year.
SBS Australia
25-04-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Election voices from multicultural Melbourne's west: Where the candidates stand
Politician who spoke the SBS Greek during the SBS Election Exchange, Broadmeadows Central, April 2025 Like Western Sydney, Melbourne's western suburbs are among the most multicultural regions in Australia. Thousands of Greek Australians live across the key federal electorates of Calwell, Fraser, and Maribyrnong. SBS invited current and prospective MPs and Senators to a special event at Broadmeadows Central on Wednesday, April 23, offering them a platform to share their views and answer community questions. While SBS extended an invitation to candidates from the Liberal Party, they were unable to attend. The Fraser electorate includes suburbs like Footscray, Yarraville, Sunshine, and St Albans. Labor MP Daniel Mulino spoke with SBS Greek, highlighting the Albanese government's efforts to bring inflation down, which he said will gradually lead to lower interest rates—an important issue for households with mortgages. He also pointed to reduced medicine costs, tax relief measures, and a planned return to pre-pandemic migration levels. Mr. Mulino emphasized his ongoing engagement with migrant communities, including the Greek Australian community. Running against him in Fraser is Greens candidate Huong Truong , who said her party's top priority remains climate action. She also highlighted the housing crisis as the electorate's most pressing concern. Ms. Truong called for tax reform targeting large corporations and said Greek Australians in the area have told her they're ready for change and to move away from the major parties. In Calwell The Calwell electorate covers suburbs including Craigieburn, Broadmeadows, and Campbellfield. Cypriot Australian MP Andrew Theophanous was first elected here in 1984 for Labor. In 2001, Maria Vamvakinou took over the seat and served until recently, opting not to recontest this election. Labor's new candidate is her former staffer, Bassem Abdo, who couldn't attend the SBS event. Independent candidate Joseph Youhana spoke to SBS Greek, criticizing Labor's dominance in Calwell, which he says has led to neglect of the area. He hopes no party secures a majority so independents can play a key role in shaping government policy. He believes his Christian values and work in humanitarian and nonprofit organizations will resonate with Greek Australians. Also running in this election is former Victorian MP Fiona Patten, now head Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party . Ms. Patten said she was the first elected official in Victoria to advocate for cannabis decriminalization and believes much more can be achieved at a federal level. She hopes to bring her parliamentary experience and track record on social justice, equality, and human rights to Canberra. She expressed pride in representing an area with so many Greek Australian families. In the same electorate, Maria Bengtsson is running for Family First . With roots in Croatia and Sweden, she supports continued use of coal for electricity until better alternatives emerge and wants more greenfield land released for housing development. She attributes the cost-of-living crisis to Australia's shift toward renewable energy. In Maribyrnong The Maribyrnong electorate, covering suburbs like Essendon, Ascot Vale, Tullamarine, and Keilor, has been held by former Labor leader Bill Shorten since 2007. Mr Shorten has announced his retirement from politics. Labor's new candidate, Jo Briskey , believes the Albanese government's initiatives—such as cheaper medicines, better wages, and free TAFE education—are improving Australians' quality of life. Greens candidate Uncle James Williams , a proud Wakka Wakka Elder, is also contesting the seat. He believes tackling supermarket price manipulation is key to addressing the cost of living. He proposes capping public transport fares at 50 cents and hopes Labor doesn't secure a majority, giving the Greens more leverage in Parliament. Finally, Greek Australian and Brimbank Councillor Virginia Tachos spoke to SBS Greek about local concerns, including traffic congestion, gaps in public transport, a lack of mental health programs, and issues in aged care services. Share this with family and friends Independent news and stories connecting you to life in Australia and Greek-speaking Australians. Stories from Australians who served in World War II, including some who are no longer with us.
