George Lekakis AO, one of Victoria’s most respected multicultural leaders and a lifelong advocate for the Greek Australian community, has come out of retirement to lead a landmark review of the state’s multicultural policies. His call to action is clear: the Greek community must not remain on the sidelines.
Currently underway, the Victorian Multicultural Review is assessing whether existing government programmes are still fit for purpose in an evolving and increasingly complex social environment.
Lekakis, the former Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission and past CEO of Fronditha Care, has spent decades championing Greek Australians through public service, aged care, education, and cultural advocacy. Speaking to The Greek Herald while travelling for community consultations, he underscored the importance of Greek engagement in shaping the next chapter of multicultural policy.
“Greeks have contributed profoundly to multicultural Australia – in aged care, disability support, women’s services, cultural events, and language preservation,” he said. “But governments must continue to respond to our changing needs.”
Having already consulted with over 30 organisations, including the Islamic Council of Victoria and the Jewish Community Council, Lekakis is urging established communities, particularly the Greek and Italian, to remain actively involved.
“Just because we’ve integrated well doesn’t mean our challenges have vanished,” he noted. “We must stay mobilised and engaged.”
Lekakis highlighted the pressing need to support Greek language retention and to preserve the Hellenic history in Australia, urging both the public and private education sectors to step up.
“Language is identity,” he emphasised. “We need more structured support for Greek language education. And we must ensure that our story – our journey and contribution – is properly recorded.”
For Lekakis, this Review holds personal meaning. He reflects on his own upbringing in 1960s Brunswick and the struggles faced by his parents as new migrants. Those early experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to justice and social cohesion.
“I’ve noticed even among our own that some have forgotten what we went through,” he said. “That’s why I always return to my roots – remembering my parents’ hardships as new arrivals, striving to build a life from the ground up.”
From his youth confronting racism, to his leadership at Fronditha Care, where he strengthened vital support for elderly Greek Australians, Lekakis has consistently placed the needs of the Greek community at the forefront of his public service.
He now chairs a diverse panel of multicultural experts – including Hass Dellal AO, Carmel Guerra OAM, Miriam Suss OAM, and Mark Duckworth PSM – tasked with delivering bold, practical recommendations to government.
With social cohesion increasingly threatened by misinformation and extremism, Lekakis warns that multiculturalism must not be taken for granted.
“This isn’t just another consultation exercise. It’s a real opportunity to influence future policy – and we’re inviting genuine contributions from every community.”
Importantly, submissions can be made in any language, including Greek, and translation will be provided, ensuring accessibility for all.
Now retired to seaside Rye, Lekakis says stepping back wasn’t easy. “You have to keep the mind active,” he says. “And this is what I love – serving the community.”
