SLOVENIAN NOTABLE POLITICIANS IN AUSTRALIA

The first Slovenian being in the Australian Parliament, the very first Senator in the Australian Parliament , not being of Australian or British descent, was a Slovenian MILIVOJ ( Misha) EMIL LAJOVIC.

He was elected to the Australian Senate as a Liberal Senator for New South Wales. He held the seat until his retirement in 1985.

In 1998 TANYA PLIBERSEK was elected to the House of Representatives for Sydney, New South Wales. She was re-elected in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.

In 1992 two Honorary Consuls were appointed by the Republic of Slovenia:

Alfred Brežnik AM – New South Wales (later Honorary Consul General) and Victoria, and Dušan Lajovic – New Zealand.

What is an Honorary Consul?

Navodila za častne konzule

Guidelines for Honorary Consuls of Republic Slovenia

Guidelines for Honorary Consuls in Australia

Honorary Consuls are De Facto Diplomats

An Hon Consul for Victoria became first Derry Maddison and now replaced by ‘The Hon. Srečko Kontelj‘.

In 2015 three new Hon Consuls were appointed: Anthony Tomažin for New South Wales, Nevenka Golc-Clarke for Queensland and Adrian Vatovec for South Australia.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia – appointed two representatives to the Council of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians Abroad –  two representatives from Australia.

The Slovenian community selected, Frances Urbas Johnson (Victoria) and Florjan Auser (New South Wales). Both representatives travel to Slovenia every year to the annual Council meeting, curtsey of Republic of Slovenia, presenting written reports and new ideas to the Council. Copies of the reports would be most welcome, since the Slovenian community members, and Slovenian radio stations are eager to know/hear the contents.

In Australia some notable Slovenians became the Mayors of the cities. In Victoria, Geelong, Dr Srečko Kontelj OAM was a Mayor of Geelong in 2001/2002 and the City councillor for 17 years.

In New South Wales Mary (Maricka) Johnston (daughter of Marija and Mirko Ritlop) became a Mayor of the city..

more soon

Draga Gelt and Martha Magajna

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