Ms THEOPHANOUS (Northcote): I rise to pay tribute to Charlie Pavlou, a Northcote local and lifelong Labor member, who passed away on 3 June at the age of 91. He is one of those postwar migrants who built our multicultural country. He arrived in 1952 from Cyprus and came from the same area as my grandfather. Charlie has been a friend to my family for almost 40 years, a mainstay at every event, and he passionately supported my campaign for Northcote. As a keen follower of politics in his native Cyprus, he joined the Labor Party in 1956. In 1972, when ethnic branches were allowed, Charlie transferred to the first Greek-speaking branch, and he earned his 40-year medallion in 2012. He loved the party and was ever-present. His second great love was his community. He was a founding member and gave the Cyprus community his time, effort and wisdom. When Cyprus was divided Charlie kept the hopes of Cypriots alive for reunification and continued to believe that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could live together in peace. Charlie was heavily involved in the media and worked for Neos Kosmos and Pyrsos since their beginnings. He became the go-to as a translator of Labor Party materials for Greek constituents and members, often refining their message. Charlie was a wordsmith, something he shared with his beloved wife, Katie, herself a published poet. People like Charlie show us why we must pursue and nurture multiculturalism .To Harilaos, as he is known in Greek, I say thank you and rest easy; and to Katie and his two children, Dimostenis and Elleni, my deepest condolences.
