Australian Parliament champions return of Parthenon Marbles

Greek Parliament may not have a special committee for the Friends of the Parthenon, but Australian lawmakers do! On Wednesday, Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten joined more than 60 Australian MPs and leaders of the New South Wales community to launch the Parliamentary Friends of the Parthenon group.

The group is part of the Australian Government’s efforts for the reunification of the Parthenon Markbles. The group was convened by Victorian Greek-Australian MP Maria Vamvakinou with collaboration from the Greens’ Adam Bandt and Nick Xenophon.

Shorten, head of the Australian Labor Party, said that after 200 years it was “time for the marbles to go home”, and that is a positive sign from a country that has “long and healthy” links with both Greece and Britain.

“From Lord Elgin, Neil Kinnock and Tony Blair, it’s fair to say the Brits have been resolute, but it would not be wise to underestimate the Philhellenes around the world, and their collective call for the sculptures to be repatriated,” he said.

The new group hopes to strengthen Greece’s bid for the return of the sculptures. On his part, Greek Ambassador to Australia Haris Dafaranos said he felt “humbled to be in the cradle of Australian democracy to salute efforts to re-engagge Australia.”

“It is very important to keep up the interest of the Australian public on the sculptures issue, if we are able to keep alight this torch of philhellenism in Australia this is a great encouragement for the people of Greece,” he said.