According to the recent literature migration-sending states that are now “emerging as rising powers have increasingly moved from using diaspora engagement as a means of securing remittances and promoting domestic economic development to viewing diaspora engagement policies as a transnational means to exert power and geopolitical influence.
By leveraging diasporic geopolitics, rising powers such as China, India, and Turkey have managed to enhance their geopolitical strategies and expand their sphere of influence”. Historically the Greek Diaspora had a similar influence when Filiki Etaireia or Society of Friends, played a pivotal role in sparking the Greek War of Independence and subsequently influenced the structure of early Greek government by creating the conditions for the emergence of a Greek state and the development of its political institutions. Greece is lagging in this area of government efficiency according to the latest IMD World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR).
Institutional Representation of the Greek Diaspora in the Antipodes
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, responsible for Hellenism Abroad, Yiannis Loverdos will undertake a major tour of Australia next October. The aim is also to revitalize the relationship with the Greek diaspora worldwide, which has been sluggish in recent years. It is worth knowing (among other things) that the Greek community of Melbourne is the largest outside of Greece, with the 2021 census reporting 181,184 people of Greek origin in the State of Victoria. Of these, 46,623 were born in Greece. It is largely autonomous and is not represented institutionally, such as, for example, by the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (GOCMV) with approximately 1,500 members, which is considered to be the principal institution, or other institutions that tend to officially express themselves on its behalf.
The institutional representation of the Greek community in Australia (and more specifically in Melbourne) has been under the spotlight in recent years, especially when institutions lack robustness, transparency, and a solid membership base. At present, one of the main challenges for Greece is to find ways to reach beyond the diaspora institutions that claim to represent the Greek diaspora. Clearly, the number of members of “representative” institutions plays an important role, influencing their ability to cultivate social connections, manage resources, and achieve their goals. Otherwise, a weak institutional representation constitutes a democratic deficit that distorts the relationship between a homeland and its diaspora.
Beyond the aforementioned diaspora relationship, institutions such as the GOCMV exist to provide charitable services, and are commendable for this, including religious, cultural, educational and social services. As non-profit organizations, they operate as legal entities to fulfill specific goals. Incidentally, the income of the charitable sector exceeds $200 billion or 7.8% of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as Australia is considered one of the most generous nations according to the 2024 Global Giving Index .
In this context, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the GCOMV for the financial year ending June 2024 was held recently in the presence of 200 members. According to the financial report distributed, a deficit of $1.625 million was incurred for the financial year 2024, following a deficit of $2.905 million in 2023, a total loss of $4.53 million, which reasonably raises issues of concern regarding the financial situation and administrative management of the GOCMV. The Independent Report of the Certified Public Accountant highlighted the following financial management problems:
“Cash from church collections, gifts and donations and schooling fees are a significant source of revenue for the Company. The Company has determined that it is impracticable to establish controls over the collection of revenue from church collections, gifts and donations, and schooling fees prior to their entry into its financial records.”
My personal interpretation of this statement is intertwined with Peter Drucker’s proposition that “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” which refers to an often mentioned principle in business administration. It emphasizes the importance of quantifiable measurements in the management and improvement of business processes or any organizational functions, including philanthropic organizations. The measurement and analysis of results over time is the key to evaluating strategies and actions, but in the case of GOCMV it hardly exists, as there is essentially no exchange of views and/or elementary logical processing of facts and data.
As is also known, the GOCMV had been saved from bankruptcy in the past with the support of the respective Greek governments of 1994 and 2003, under the prime ministership of Andreas Papandreou, and with the support of all political parties, which provided financial assistance of 7.4 million dollars AUD for its salvation. An amount at today’s prices, and taking into account the Australian real estate market and its annual returns, which corresponds to approximately 40 million dollars, an amount approaching one third (1/3) of the total assets of the GOCMV. In this case, the donations go beyond the borders of Australia as they were also provided by Greek taxpayers (in good faith) to diaspora institutions in a developed country .
In the GOCMV elections held on Sunday, June 29 and in a State were one the largest Greek diaspora communities claim as home, only 314 votes were cast by the 1500 members. This is just above 20 % and less than 0.2% of the estimated Greek population in Victoria and the institutional misrepresentation is evident. The lack of democratic processes, the decline of members and their engagement, and failure to seek public consultations, are clearly manifested in the low voter turnout. Following the celebrations and feel-good media stories, the “new” GOCMV board of directors will need to address (among other things) as a matter of priority the following:
Financial Control Subcommittee
With regard to sound financial management,, article 34 of the GOCMV constitution should be activated immediately, which provides that “the Board may from time to time appoint for any purpose it deems appropriate subcommittees consisting of members of the Board of Directors or of the Community, as it deems appropriate, and assign them such powers and duties as the Board may determine. The decisions of any such subcommittee shall always be subject to veto by the Board of Directors.” The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission also recommends that charities consider establishing a finance subcommittee as part of their governance structure. Subcommittees are necessary when there are indications of a lack of skills and consequently mismanagement, with the result that despite any good intentions of the Board of Directors for the welfare of the GOCMV, we become spectators of an inevitable regression.
Membership Base
The declining membership of the GOCMV in recent years negatively affects transparency and accountability in several ways. A decline in membership can reduce an organization’s ability to represent diverse views and interests, leading to a less representative, and potentially biased decision-making process. Furthermore, a smaller membership can weaken the organization’s ability to engage in meaningful consultation and feedback with the broader community, which is crucial to ensuring that decisions are made through democratic processes. Conversely, more members can potentially increase the overall “productive” capacity of the GOCMV in the same way that a larger and diverse workforce affects economic growth.
In conclusion, the active participation of diaspora institutions in promoting and supporting causes that benefit their countries of origin is important, but unilateral representation of these communities by diaspora institutions is risky when there are cracks in them. Well intended constructive criticism for their revitalization is a necessary condition for a stronger and more dynamic connection between the homeland and the diaspora. Mutual support and utilization of ideas are pillars of a multifaceted improvisational approach for the revival of a dynamic relationship between Greece and its diaspora.
* Dr. Steve Bakalis is an expert in international business education and management, having worked with the Australian National University, the University of Adelaide, and in administrative positions at universities in the Asia-Pacific and the Gulf region.
