Greek Australian

Infobox Ethnic group
group=Greek Australian


caption=Notable Greek Australians: Alex Proyas, Peter Andre, Mark Philippoussis, Anthony Koutoufides flagicon|Greece flagicon|Australia
poptime=109,989 (Greek-born, 2006),
365,147 (Greek ancestry, 2006)
title=2006 Census Tables: Australia
popplace=Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane
langs=Australian English, Greek, Languages of Greece
rels=Predominantly Greek Orthodox

Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". The 2006 census recorded 97,218 people of Greek Ancestry born in Greece and 18,381 in Cyprus, [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?breadcrumb=TLPD&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&subaction=-1&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&documentproductno=0&textversion=false&documenttype=Details&collection=Census&javascript=true&topic=Birthplace&action=404&productlabel=Country%20of%20Birth%20of%20Person%20by%20Sex%20-%20Time%20Series%20Statistics%20(1996,%202001,%202006%20Census%20Years)&order=1&period=2006&tabname=Details&areacode=0&navmapdisplayed=true& 2006 Census Table: Country of Birth of Person by Sex - Time Series Statistics (1996, 2001, 2006 Census Years)] ] [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?breadcrumb=TLPD&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&subaction=-1&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&documentproductno=0&textversion=false&documenttype=Details&collection=Census&javascript=true&topic=Birthplace&action=404&productlabel=Country%20of%20Birth%20of%20Person%20(full%20classification%20list)%20by%20Sex&order=1&period=2006&tabname=Details&areacode=0&navmapdisplayed=true& 2006 Census Table: Country of Birth of Person (full classification list) by Sex] ] [ [http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/2914.0.55.0022006?OpenDocument Ethnic Media Package] ] though it is uncertain how many of the latter are Greek Cypriots. A total of 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity. [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?action=404&documentproductno=0&documenttype=Details&order=1&tabname=Details&areacode=0&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&javascript=true&textversion=false&navmapdisplayed=true&breadcrumb=TLPD&&collection=Census&period=2006&productlabel=Ancestry%20by%20Country%20of%20Birth%20of%20Parents%20-%20Time%20Series%20Statistics%20(2001,%202006%20Census%20Years)&producttype=Census%20Tables&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&topic=Ancestry& 2006 Census Table: Ancestry by Country of Birth of Parents - Time Series Statistics (2001, 2006 Census Years)] ] The Greek language is spoken at home by 252,222 Australian residents, a 4.125% decrease from the 2001 census data. Greek is the third most spoken language (other than English) in Australia behind Chinese and Italian. [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?action=404&documentproductno=0&documenttype=Details&order=1&tabname=Details&areacode=0&issue=2006&producttype=Census%20Tables&javascript=true&textversion=false&navmapdisplayed=true&breadcrumb=TLPD&&collection=Census&period=2006&productlabel=Language%20Spoken%20at%20Home%20by%20Sex%20-%20Time%20Series%20Statistics%20(1996,%202001,%202006%20Census%20Years)&producttype=Census%20Tables&method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&topic=Language& 2006 Census Table: Language Spoken at Home by Sex - Time Series Statistics (1996, 2001, 2006 Census Years)] ]

History

The first Greek migrants to Australia were seven convict sailors convicted of piracy by a British naval court in 1829 and sent to serve out their terms in New South Wales. Though eventually pardoned, two of the seven settled in the country. Groups of Greeks first settled in significant numbers during the gold rushes of the 1850s. The 1901 census recorded 878 Greek-born, but this must surely omit a few hundred other ethnic Greek migrants from the Ottoman Empire and elsewhere. The expulsion of Greeks from Asia Minor in 1922-23 led to further Greek migration to Australia, primarily to New South Wales. These Greeks are difficult to trace but the number of Greeks from Greece proper had risen to 12,291 by the time of the 1947 census.

Greeks – alongside Italians – were one of the main groups targeted by Australian Government migration schemes in the 1950s and 1960s. By 1971 there were 160,200 Greek-born persons in Australia, and smaller numbers from Cyprus and Egypt. Today, just under half of the Greek-born (49.6%) live in Victoria, with a further third in New South Wales (31.7%). In comparison, only 24.7% of Australians as a whole live in Victoria, underlining the density of the Greek presence there.

Greek Australians have an exceptionally high rate of return migration to Greece. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 135,000 Australian citizens resident in Greece. These must mostly be returned Greek emigrants with Australian citizenship, and their Greek Australian children.

According to census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2004, Greek Australians are mainly Greek Orthodox (Eastern Orthodox Church) by religion. Smaller minorities include 5.2% Catholic, 2.9% Anglican, 1.3% Other Religions, and 7.1% No Religion.

In 2001, the Greek language was spoken at home by 263,717 persons in Australia. Greek is the fourth most widely spoken language in the country after English, the Chinese languages, and Italian. 50.9% of Greek speakers in Australia were born there, the third highest proportion after indigenous Australian languages and English.

List of notable Greek Australians

Business

*Mark Bouris - managing director of Wizard
*Sam W. Ballas - investor/past CEO AMP (investments)
*Con Constantine - chairman, Newcastle United Jets
*Andrew Demetriou - chief executive, Australian Football League (he is actually Greek Cypriot)
*Nick Dimas - director, Canterbury Bulldogs
*Andrew N. Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical Company
*Nick Pappas - chairman, South Sydney Rabbitohs
*Paspaley family (Paspalis)- Paspaley dominate the pearling industry; large property holdings in Darwin CBD and properties in Sydney
*George Peponis - chairman, Canterbury Bulldogs
*James Raptis OBE - chairman and founder, Raptis Group Limited, Gold Coast
*James Samios - Hon. MBE Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, Sydney
*Peter Abraam - CEO, Victorian Major Events Company
*Emmanuel Drizas- co-founder of the "The Coffee Club".

Directors

*Peter Andrikidis - director - "Underbelly"
*Ana Kokkinos - director
*Harry Michaels - director Aerobics Oz Style
*Bill Miller (II) - director and producer
*George Miller - Academy-Award winning director and producer, Mad Max, Babe, Happy Feet
*Alex Proyas - director, I, Robot, Dark City, The Crow
*Nadia Tass - director
*John Tatoulis - director/producer
*Alkinos Tsilimidos - director

Entertainment

*Harry Michaels - actor (TV series: Number 96) producer (Exercise Video: Aerobics Oz Style), Sports TV Director
*Alex Blias - actor
*Alex Dimitriades - actor
*Despina Caldis - actress
*Elena Carapetis - actress
*Gia Carides - actress
*Zoe Carides - actress
*Chantal Contouri - actress
*Mary Coustas - comedian
*Alex Dimitriades - actor
*Dominic Elmagolou - actor
*Rebekah Elmaloglou - actress, Home and Away
*Sebastian Elmaloglou - actor, Home and Away
*Damien Fotiou - actor
*Dimitri Giameos - actor
*Nick Giannopoulos - actor and director
*George Kapiniaris - actor and comedian
*Peter Kelamis - comedian
*Nico Lathouris - actor
*Nic Lepouris
*Gina Riley - actress, Kath & Kim, comedian and singer
*Panda Likoudis - actor
*Costas Mandylor - actor
*Louis Mandylor - actor
*Lex Marinos - actor, director, writer and broadcaster
*Ada Nicodemou - actress, Home and Away
*Phaedra Nicolaidis - actress
*Irini Pappas - actress
*Alex Papps - actor and tv host
*Thaao Penghlis - actor (Nicholas Black in TV series Mission Impossible)
*George Spartels - actor
*Zoe Ventoura - actress
*Helen Zerefos - actress and cabaret singer
*Irene Zervos - actress

Fashion

*Ioannis Cholidis, fashion designer
*Arthur Galan, mens fashion designer
*Melanie Katsalidis, jewellry designer
*Napoleon Perdis, make-up artist
*Sandra Soulos, fashion designer
*George Spyrou (fashion designer), fashion designer
*Lia Tsimos, fashion designer
*Alex Perry, fashion Designer

Journalists

*John Mangos - news presenter and journalist, Sky News Australia, Foxtel
*Georgia Cassimatis - journalist, Australian Cosmopolitan magazine
*George Donikian - news presenter, Ten Network
*Peter Frilingos (deceased) - sports journalist with the Daily Telegraph in Sydney, and broadcaster and commentator with the Continuous Call Team.
*George Hatzimanolis - journalist Neos Kosmos newspaper
*Helen Kapalos - news presenter, Ten Network
*Mary Kostakidis - journalist, SBS
*George Megalogenis - author and The Australian newspaper columnist
*Andy Pasquelidis - sports commentator
*Peter Peters - sports broadcaster and commentator (also Manly Sea-Eagles general manager)
*Anastasia Salamastrakis - journalist, Seven Network
*Victoria Simos - journalist, Neos Kosmos English Edition newspaper
*Andrea Stylianou - journalist, News Limited
* Michael Tomalaris - SBS Sports Reporter
*Maria Anastasopoulos-Tsekouras, - journalist Neos Kosmos English Edition newspaper
*Peter Costafostadidis, - journalist Along The Wing sport magazine

Musicians

*Maria Yiakoulis – singer/musician
*Nick Drimousis – singer/composer/creator of GreekStar
*Peter Andre – singer
*Alex Carapetis - drummer
*Jim the Greek - musician (born Soviet Union)
*Ross Kalenderidis - contemporary artist/illustrator/designer/writer
*James Kannis - singer (Australian Idol)
*Tassos Ioannides - composer/musician
*Ilias Arhontoulis - singer/composer/musician/designer
*Michael Fountas - singer/composer/musician
*Stelios Tsiolas - composer/musician (born in Cyprus)
*Andy Vouli - Saxophonist
*Big Haz - Chicano Rapper

Politics

*Peter Katsambanis-Ex Politician, Victoria
*Nick Bolkus - federal politician
*John Comino - ex-mayor/lawyer
*Michael Costa - politician, New South Wales
*Jim Fouras - politician, Queensland
*Steve Georganas - federal politician
*Petro Georgiou - federal politician (born Kerkyra)
*John Hatzistergos - Attorney General, New South Wales
*Steve Kons - Deputy Premier, Tasmania
*Nick Kotsiras - politician, Victoria
*Tom Koutsantonis - politician, South Australia
*Ken Michael, politician
*Jenny Mikakos - politician, Victoria
*Sophie Mirabella - federal politician
*John Pandazopoulos - politician, Victoria
*Nicholas Pappas - lawyer
*Theo Theophanous - politician, Victoria (born Cyprus)
*Arthur Sinodinos - John Howard's former Chief of Staff
*Maria Vamvakinou - federal politician (born Lefkada)
*Kon Vatskalis - politician, NT (born Kefallonia)
*Nick Xenophon - politician, South Australia

ports

*Michael Katsidis - Boxer
*Braith Anasta - Rugby League player, Sydney Roosters
*John Anastasiadis - former football (soccer) player/coach
*Con Boutsianis - former football (soccer) player
*Dean Bouzanis - Football (soccer) player
*Ang Christou - Australian rules footballer
*Theodore Skafidas - former football (soccer) player
*Peter Daicos - Australian rules footballer
*Anthony Doumanis- Football (soccer) player
*Andrew Demetriou - Australian rules football CEO
*Michael Diamond - Olympic gold medallist, shooting, Sydney 2000
*George Gatis - Rugby League player, New Zealand Warriors
*Steve Georgallis - Rugby League player/coach
*Greek Team of the Century - Australian Rules Football [http://www.neoskosmos.com.au/040906/nkew/feature/feature_index.shtml]
*Jason Gillespie - Australian cricketer
*Lydia Ierodiaconou - Winter Olympian
*Chris Kalantzis - Football (soccer) player
*Michael Korkidas - Rugby League player, Salford City Reds
*Nick Kouparitsas - Rugby League player, Canterbury Bulldogs
*Anthony Koutoufides - Australian rules footballer
*Stan Lazaridis - Football (soccer) player, Perth Glory and Socceroos
*Angelo Lekkas - Australian rules footballer
*Stan 'The Man' Longinidis - kickboxer
*Colin Mylonas - Founder of the Greek Rugby League (GRL)
*Steve Pantelidis - Football (soccer) player Melbourne Victory
*Lucas Pantelis - Football (soccer) player, Adelaide United
*Andy Paschalidis - Football (soccer) analyst
*George Peponis - Former Australian Rugby League captain
*Willie Peters - rugby league player, South Sydney Rabbitohs
*Paul Pezos - Football (soccer) player, Perth Glory
*Mark Philippoussis - tennis player - heritage is from Macedonia, Greece.
* Jim Serdaris- rugby league player,
*John Skandalis - rugby league player, Huddersfield Giants
*George Sotiropoulos - Mixed martial artist
*Parris Stamos - Volleyball player
*Samuel Stamos - Volleyball player
*Marcus Stergiopoulos - Football (soccer) player
*Jason Stevens - rugby League player, retired
*John Tambouras - Football (soccer) player, New Zealand Knights
*Nick Theodorakopoulos - Football (soccer) coach
*Michael Theoklitos - Football (soccer) player, Melbourne Victory
*Nikolas Tsattalios - Football (soccer) player
*Justin Tsoulos - rugby League player, Parramatta Eels
*Michael Valkanis - Football (soccer) player, Adelaide United
*Andy Vlahos - Football (soccer) player

Writers

*Fotini Epanomitis
*Zeny Giles
*Dean Kalimniou - poet and journalist
*Antigone Kefala - poet
*Dina Kafiris - novelist
*Mary Kalantzis - writer and academic
*Angelo Loukakis - novelist
*Tess Mallos
*Tony Maniaty
*Anastasia Mavromatis
*George Megalogenis
*George Papaellinas
*Tom Petsinis
*Pi O - performance poet
*Jim Sakkas
*Thalia - concrete poet
*Dimitris Tsaloumas - poet
*Christos Tsiolkas - novelist
*Spiro Zavos

Other

*Mick Adams (business man) (Joachim Tavlaidis), milk bar pioneer
*Chris Moraitis, Diplomat (High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea)
*Effy Alexakis, documentary photographer
* John Ioannou, director of Agathon Gallery
*Effie Michaels, costume designer/presenter Aerobics Oz Style
*Nicholas Hogios (Psychogios), car designer
*Stella Moraitis, Barrister/Member VCAT
*Nonda Katsalidis, architect
*Maria Karvouni, Principal of Distance Education Centre Victoria
*Athanasios Comino, fish and chip shop pioneer
*Minas Coroneo, Professor/Ophthalmologist
*Andrew Kokinos, ex-physio, Indian cricket team
*Marc Newson, designer
*Christos Pantelis, psychiatrist
*Denis Poulos, founding director Sydney Fish Market
*Andrew Kimonides, Numismatist
*Tony Rafty, caricaturist
*Stelarc, artist
*Archbishop Stylianos, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia
*Nikki Theofilos, graphic designer
*Freda Miriklis, Stockbroker, Professional Speaker, Winner Australian Young Business and Professional Women, 1998 - 2000
*Andrew Veniamin - slain underworld figure

Miscellaneous topics

* Greeks
* Australian-Greek relations
* Greek Cypriots
* National Union of Greek Australian Students

References