Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia elections heat up

The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA) is heading for elections on Sunday December 11 and a team of 15 calling themselves Leading our Community of which over 50 per cent are women are looking for change.

The group is headed by GOCSA treasurer Peter Gardiakos, who told Neos Kosmos last week that he wants a Community that is “more relevant to South Australia’s Hellenes, especially to women and young people”.

“We have eight women members and seven men, and we want to engage with young people,” Mr Gardiakos told Neos Kosmos.

Smaro Skordas a former official of the FAAA, the flight attendants’ union is also on the team.

“I am deeply connected to this Community, my uncle Petro [Savvas] was a leader here, and I think to remain relevant, it’s important that we re-engage and re-connect with our young people,” Ms Skordas told Neos Kosmos.

A former board member Ms Eleni Hanoumis has written a letter to Ms Pam Andritsakis and Mr Andrew Stathopoulos members of the GOCSA Electoral and Supervisory Committee, which Neos Kosmos has seen, in which she challenges the legal validity of the elections.

In it she accuses GOCSA of being in breach of two articles of GOCSA constitution, article 10 and article 11.

Article 10 states members should be notified at least seven days prior to the election, Ms Hanoumis claims that the notice of election to members dated November 29 was sent on December 2.

Neos Kosmos however has been told by members of GOCSA that the notice of election was publicised on Greek radio, and social media well before the seven days.

On the second matter, Ms Hanoumis writes that GOCSA has allowed those who were non-financial members at the time of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on November 13, to vote if they renew their membership on the date of the election this Sunday. Article 11 of the constitution states that those that are financial members prior and up to the AGM are the only ones allowed to vote at general elections.

Neos Kosmos rang the GOCSA offices and members of the committee would not comment as they are in caretaker mode, however Neos Kosmos understands that a precedent was set by GOCSA electoral committee for the last 30 odd years, that allows lapsed members to pay their membership at the election prior to voting.

In another unusual development, Fr Ioannis Konidaris, the parish priest at the GOCSA-run Orthodox Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Franklin Street, has put himself up as a candidate for elections. Fr Konidaris is paid by GOCSA and its unclear if he wins how that conflict of interest would be resolved.

Neos Kosmos sought comment from the father, however he declined on the grounds that he was too busy, and given it was “pre-election period” he could not comment.

He wished all the candidates well and hoped that whoever wins that GOCSA would benefit as would the general Greek community of South Australia.

The elections will take place this Sunday 11 December.

Candidates running for the GOCSA election are:

Sylvia CassoudakisHelen Chrisakis

Sophie Diamandi

John Douros

Phillip Galantomos

Peter Gardiakos

Hellas Lukas

Michael Marinos

Anastasia Mavrides

Eleni Mermingis

John Minos

Chloe-Roxanne Germanos Kourakis

Peter Gonis

Eleni Hanoumis

Asterios Keliouris

Fr Ioannis Konidaris

Panteleon Kyriakos Kyriakoustamos

Panagiotis Psaroulis

Alexandra Sifis

Smaro (Topalsavvas) Skordas

Stephanie Skordas

Christine Totos

George Vasilias

George Vlahos