The Keynote Address delivered by the Governor of Victoria, Professor David De Kretser, was the highlight for delegates to The Greek Conference’s Masterclass 2008 at Melbourne’s Windsor Hotel on Saturday, 15 November 2008.
Professor De Kretser, a distinguished scientist, held very senior positions at Monash University before being appointed to the 28th Governor of Victoria in 2006. He delivered the Keynote Address on ethical issues in stem-cell research to a large number of delegates, including representatives from Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, South Australia and Greece in addition to Victorian representatives.
The Greek-Consul General, Christos Salamanis (l) with Dr Jim Vadolas, Eugenia Mitrakas and the Victorian Governor, Professor David de Kretser.
Consul-General for Greece, Mr Christos Salamanis, in welcoming the State Governor to Masterclass 2008 spoke of the continuing ties between Greece and Australia in law, medicine and science and of the importance to both countries of the events organized by The Greek Conference.
Chairman of The Greek Conference, Eugenia Mitrakas, said that it was an honour to have present not only Professor De Kretser, but also Justice Betty King of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Professor Skene from the University of Melbourne and it was their willingness to participate in the event that demonstrated the significance of Masterclass 2008.
“We had a wide and broad-ranging agenda today”, she said, “one that highlighted significant issues in line with our topics of rights, justice and the individual and we were able to concentrate on relevant aspects concerning the balance between a person’s rights and the role of the State, including current legal and ethical issues about the right to know and the right to access to medical developments, compared to the role of the State in regulating these issues”.
“These are continuations of the basis of this series of Conference, which I have chaired since 2003”, said Eugenia Mitrakas, “and I look forward to the continuation of the debate and discussions when the Conference next meets in Corfu in September 2009”.
In relation to Masterclass 2008, Eugenia Mitrakas said that for her the highlights included Professor De Kretser’s explanation of the role of ethics in stem-cell research and a presentation by social worker Paris Aristotle on the rights and challenges facing refugees and migrants coming to Australia. She said that the comments made by Justice King, relating to the balance between the public’s right to know and the protection of the rights of an accused in a criminal trial were also very important.
“As well, if was good that Dr Jim Vadolas, from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute spoke on the closing panel on the work his Unit has been undertaking into the causes of thalassaemia and the steps towards a possible cure. We have been supporting the Murdoch since 2004 and although we were desperately saddened by the death of Professor Panos Ioannou nearly four years ago we are encouraged by Jim Vadolas’ work and have already decided to again support the thalassaemia research work through out 2009 event in Corfu”, said Mrs Mitrakas.
