Australians in Greece – You Count as Well !In August 2006, the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted everyone in Australia.
But the 2006 Australian Census didn’t take into account Australia’s sizable diaspora of approximately one million people.
More than 135,000 Australians are estimated to be living permanently in Greece, and thousands more visit as tourists or work and study in Greece for short periods.
Many people know that Australia has the highest number of Greeks living outside Greece, but very few people realise that Greece has the highest number of Australians living outside Australia of any country in the world. Australians in Greece, many dual Greek-Australian citizens, comprise approximately 15% of Australia’s global diaspora.
Finding all of Australia’s unofficial ambassadors currently spread throughout Greece would be an impossible task. But those that can be reached are being strongly encouraged to participate in a new independent non-governmental online survey of the Australian diaspora.
An initiative of the New York-based organisation Advance working in partnership with the Southern Cross Group, One Million More – the Census of Australians Abroad has already become the largest ever survey of Australians outside Australia.
Since its launch on Australian census day on 8 August 2006, more than 8,000 overseas Australians have participated.
But a global hunt is still on to track down thousands more of the “missing million” before the survey closes on 30 September 2006.
Taking approximately 20 minutes to complete on an entirely anonymous basis, the One Million More survey (in English) asks Australia’s far-flung citizens, former citizens and others overseas with a very close family connection to the country to respond to some key questions adapted from the official Australian Census. It also includes specific questions designed to get to the heart of the experiences and issues faced by those living outside Australia.
The overwhelming majority of the estimated 135,000-plus Australians in Greece today migrated to Australia post World War II and then returned to live in Greece later in life. Others who were born in Australia to Greek migrants and grew up Down Under have now come to Greece to live and work in the country of their parents’ or grandparents’ birth.
Athens-based Southern Cross Group volunteer Kathy Karageorgiou said “Greece and Australia are countries inextricably linked by both immigration and emigration. The Greek subset of the Australian diaspora is the most significant single national group within it and it would be a great pity if Australians in Greece are not adequately represented in One Million More. The survey data will be an indispensable tool going forward for all those concerned with developing and fostering Australia’s relationship with its extensive diaspora.” Ms Karageorgiou is the Australian-born daughter of Greek migrants to Australia.
The data collected will be used in further academic research to be undertaken at Adelaide University by Professor Graeme Hugo, already widely known for his pioneering studies of the Australian diaspora. In addition, the Southern Cross Group will draw on the survey findings to guide its ongoing advocacy and support efforts and inform its continuing dialogue with the Australian government on diaspora issues. All survey results and conclusions will be published on the internet as they become available.
“We ask everyone who knows an Australian in Greece to let them know about One Million More and urge them to take part. Every single one of them is an integral part of Australia.” Ms Karageorgiou said.
One Million More – the Census of Australians Abroad will remain online until Saturday 30 September 2006.
http://www.onemillionmore.com/
For additional information on One Million More, go to www.southern-cross-group.org/census.html
Contacts:
Kathy Karageorgiou, Athens, mobile +30 693 836 7928, kathy@southern-cross-group.org
Anne MacGregor, Brussels, mobile +32 474 950 313, anne@southern-cross-group.org
About the Southern Cross Group
The Southern Cross Group is an international non-profit volunteer-run and independently-funded advocacy and support organisation for the Australian diaspora. The SCG takes an inclusive approach in defining the Australian overseas community and works on behalf of everyone in that community, regardless of their age, educational background, occupation, professional status or income. Those who are not technically Australian citizens but who are former citizens or future citizens or otherwise have a very close family connection with Australia are also within the SCG’s constituency. Since its formation in early 2000, the SCG has established a consistent track record of intelligent and timely submissions to Government on a host of Australian expatriate issues, taking the lead in establishing “the Australian diaspora” firmly in Australian domestic consciousness. The Group is best known for its work in reforming Australian citizenship law. It has also been active on the issue of expatriate disenfranchisement in the Australian electoral process, and was the driving force behind the establishment of a broad-based dedicated Federal Senate Committee Inquiry into Australian expatriates held in 2003-2005. The SCG is run by 100 volunteers in 30 countries. It has no formal members or membership fees. People interested in keeping abreast of the SCG’s activities are invited to sign up to its occasional free e-bulletins.
www.southern-cross-group.org
About Advance
Advance is a community of Australian professionals overseas headquartered in New York City, with established chapters in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and London with several others in formation around the globe. Advance recognises the importance of maintaining connection with the one million Australians in our diaspora making their mark in boardrooms, science laboratories, arts institutions, classrooms and communities worldwide. We provide online and live services and events in major industry sectors, enabling Australians abroad to be informed ambassadors-at-large who open doors and opportunities for Australia and Australians across the globe. Advance is an independent not-for-profit and registered charity in the United States.
www.advance.org/
