:Gerry Georgatos

Gerry Georgatos was born in 1962.{{cite news|date=20 May 2014 |title=Thousands of children's wheelchairs donated|url=http://news247.gr/eidiseis/kosmos/aystralia-26-000-anaphrikes-karekles-gia-paidia-apo-olo-ton-kosmo-apo-ellhna-omogenh.2508159.html|newspaper=Greek News 24/7}}{{cite news|date=August 2013 |title=Greek Australian as WikiLeak candidate for Australian Senate|url=http://www.kefalonianmantata.gr/articles/view/7476|newspaper=Kefalonian Press}}

Georgatos has been a researcher with the University of Western Australia, with his work focusing especially on social justice issues among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.{{cite web | last=Sales | first=Leigh| author-link=Leigh Sales| format=Video + transcript | title=Aboriginal deaths in custody bring focus to disturbing rate of imprisonment | website=ABC Television | series=7.30 | date=30 Oct 2014 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/aboriginal-deaths-in-custody-bring-focus-to/5855768 | access-date=4 March 2022| quote= Gerry Georgatos, suicide prevention researcher, UWA}}{{cite web|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/if-there-is-no-political-will-we-ll-be-back-here-again-in-another-10-years-20190207-p50wda.html/|title=If there is no political will |date= 7 February 2019| first=Daile| last=Cross|work=WAToday}}{{cite news|last=Gregoire|first=Paul |date=19 October 2017|title=Custody Notification Service advocacy| url=https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-cns-prevents-indigenous-deaths-in-custody-an-interview-with-gerry-georgatos/|newspaper=Sydney Criminal Lawyers}}

Georgatos is a researcher in suicide prevention, particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. He has done extensive research into Aboriginal incarceration, suicide and deaths in custody, and worked on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project.{{cite news |last=Porter |first=Claire |date=25 July 2013 |title=WikiLeaks: 'Keeping the bastards honest' |newspaper=News Corporation |url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/wikileaks-8216keeping-the-bastards-honest8217/story-e6frfro0-1226684921550 |access-date=4 April 2015 |archive-date=9 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409230109/http://www.news.com.au/technology/wikileaks-8216keeping-the-bastards-honest8217/story-e6frfro0-1226684921550 |url-status=dead }} In November 2013, he reported in The Australian that Australia's Aboriginal people are dying of suicide at among the highest rates in the world. His research found that 1 in 12 of all Aboriginal deaths were by suicide.{{cite web |title=A Nation Shamed When Child Sees Suicide as the Solution |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/a-nation-shamed-when-child-sees-suicide-as-the-solution/story-fn9hm1pm-1227116504890 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170125130551/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/a-nation-shamed-when-child-sees-suicide-as-the-solution/story-fn9hm1pm-1227116504890 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 January 2017 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2015-07-23 |publisher=The Australian}}{{cite web|url=http://nacchocommunique.com/2014/01/29/naccho-aboriginal-health-estimated-400-suicides-in-our-communities-in-last-three-years/|title=NACCHO Aboriginal Health: Estimated 400 suicides in our communities in last three years|work=NACCHO Aboriginal Health News Alerts|date=28 January 2014 }}

Georgatos at government levels and through the national media has campaigned for a response to what he describes of the high rates of suicides as "a humanitarian crisis" and as "racialised" and "racism".{{cite web|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/indigenous-suicide-a-humanitarian-crisis/story-fnhrvfuw-1227441264826 |title=Indigenous suicide a 'humanitarian crisis' |date=14 July 2015 |publisher=Perthnow.com.au |accessdate=2015-07-23}}{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/28834393/local-communities-beating-back-suicide/|title=Local communities beating back suicide|work=yahoo.com}}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10NULPyWcnM|title=Youth suicide at crisis levels among indigenous population, experts warn. ABC News, June 14th 2015|date=24 June 2015|work=YouTube}}

Georgatos' research found that Australia jails Aboriginal people at among the highest rates in the world. In October 2014 he stated on a national television program that one in 13 of Western Australia's Aboriginal adult males are in prison. His research reported that from a racialised lens this is the highest jailing rate in the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2014/s4118422.htm|title=Aboriginal deaths in custody bring focus to disturbing rate of imprisonment|work=abc.net.au|date=21 December 2024 }}

In January 2017, he helped establish the suicide postvention Federal Government taskforce, the National Indigenous Critical Response Service, and he was the inaugural national coordinator of the taskforce till he stepped down May 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/support-can-stem-indigenous-suicide-epidemic/news-story/9a94453efb94abc3ed2ea5e2a03ae837|title=Support can stem Indigenous suicides May 6,2019|work=The Australian |date=6 May 2019 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/video/id-5348771529001-5992075933001/crushing-poverty-exasperating-suicide-rate-among-indigenous-youth|title=Crushing poverty exasperating suicide rate January 21,2019|work=www.news.com.au}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/04/i-remember-so-many-children-who-have-taken-their-lives-it-is-a-national-abomination|title=I remember so many children who have taken their lives February 4,2019|work=www.theguardian.com|date=4 February 2019 |last1=Georgatos |first1=Gerry }}

He presently leads the suicide prevention focused National Critical Response Trauma Recovery Project.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/health-minister-calls-roundtable-as-alarming-suicide-figures/11176130|title=Health Minister calls roundtable as alarming suicide figures released June 4,2019|work=ABC Radio National|date=3 June 2019 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/children-s-graves-in-a-row-the-indigenous-youth-suicide-emergency-20190529-p51siw.html|title=Children's graves in a row June 3,2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/suicide-crisis-driven-by-sex-abuse-violence/news-story/d142aeca7fa506b41f2ed6852d45de65|title=The crisis driving suicide June 4,2019|work=The Australian|date=4 June 2019 |url-access=subscription}}

In 2021, Georgatos and the National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeDnuWemz1E|title=Young, Black and Behind Bars|work=Al Jazeera 101 East|date=29 October 2020 }} were instrumental in launching a Class Action by people incarcerated and formerly incarcerated in Western Australia's only Juvenile Detention correctional centre, Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre. It is the largest Class Action of its type.{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/leroy-was-incarcerated-when-he-was-just-10-years-old-this-is-what-his-life-is-like-now/92487041-2aac-45f1-822b-512331fc5b9b|title=Incarcerated when he was just 10 years old|work=SBS News}}

Georgatos has also advocated for human rights in several areas,{{cite news|last=Shanahan|first=Angela |date=19 January 2018|title=Youth suicide crisis|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/dolly-tragedy-is-just-one-part-of-the-youth-suicide-picture/news-story/82394c911b4b59150d1cd8014e335223 |newspaper=The Australian |url-access=subscription}} including prison reform,{{cite news|last=Al Ubudy|first=Widyan|date=30 October 2013|title=Unpaid fines leading to Indigenous over-representation|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/10/29/unpaid-fines-leading-indigenous-over-representation|newspaper=SBS News|location=Sydney, NSW}}{{cite news|last=Davidson|first=Helen |date=6 July 2017|title=Few Indigenous inmates have finished Year 12, prison reform expert says|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/06/few-indigenous-inmates-have-finished-year-12-prison-reform-expert-says|newspaper=The Guardian}} the impoverished,{{cite news|last=Chamseddine|first=Roqayah |date=10 May 2018|title=Budget is ruthless|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/budget-is-ruthless-towards-australia-s-most-vulnerable-20180509-p4zed3.html|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}} homeless,{{cite news|date=20 May 2014 |title=Homeless family living in tent near Perth prompts call for better state housing priority|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-20/homeless-family-living-in-a-tent-near-perth/5464946|newspaper=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}} and other marginalised people.{{cite news|last=Georgatos|first=Gerry |date=4 February 2019|title=I remember so many children who have taken their lives|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/04/i-remember-so-many-children-who-have-taken-their-lives-it-is-a-national-abomination|newspaper=The Guardian}}

He founded Students Without Borders at Monash University.{{cite web |author=PENNI PAPPAS |date=15 October 2012 |title=A passion for rights |url=http://www.donnybrookmail.com.au/story/398963/a-passion-for-rights/ |work=Donnybrook-Bridgetown Mail}} Georgatos also launched Students Without Borders at Murdoch University and developed the statewide 8Ball recycling program which students and volunteers refurbished computers and Georgatos donated the computers right throughout Western Australia and to developing nations.{{cite news|date=5 October 2012 |title=Human Kindness, 55,000 computers|url=http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/the-milk-of-human-kindness|newspaper=Neos Kosmos}} Students Without Borders and Georgatos won awards in the 2008 Western Australian Community Service Awards, with Georgatos winning the individual category, WA Community Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution.{{cite web|url=http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/article/community-services-industry-award-winners-announced|title=Community Services Industry Award winners announced|work=liberal.org.au}} He was a former Murdoch University Guild President and also sat on the university's peak academic planning body and for four years on its board of directors (The Senate).{{cite web|url=http://senate.murdoch.edu.au/2008/22%20Oct/Minutes/081022mins.html|title=Murdoch University Senate|work=murdoch.edu.au}}

Georgatos was significant in campaigning for the release of Indonesian minors from Australian adult prisons. After he blew the whistle he was banned without explanation from visiting prisons.{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/9142753/boy-in-adult-jail-says-hes-scared/|title=Boy in adult jail says he s scared - The West Australian|work=yahoo.com}} He campaigned for the release of what he argued were up to 100 Indonesian minors languishing in prisons.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/gillard-criticised-for-wrist-xrays-20110627-1gneq.html|title=Gillard criticised for wrist X-rays|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 June 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/call-for-release-of-indonesian-child-in-albany-prison/story-e6frg13u-1226364350597 |title=Call for release of Indonesian 'child' in Albany Prison |work=PerthNow |publisher=Perthnow.com.au |accessdate=2015-07-23}}

During March and April 2015 Georgatos campaigned publicly for a 25-year-old asylum seeker from Iran, Saeed Hassanloo. Hassanloo's hunger strike had been kept from the Australian media for 35 days.{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/immigration/i-wont-tolerate-hunger-strikes-warns-peter-dutton/story-fn9hm1gu-1227293899030 |title=I won't tolerate hunger strikes, warns Peter Dutton |publisher=The Australian |accessdate=2015-07-23 |url-access=subscription}} Georgatos said that if Hassanloo died he would be Australia's first hunger strike death and called on the prime minister to intervene.{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/video/watch/26971369/asylum-seeker-hospitalised-after-hunger-strike/#page1|title=Asylum seeker hospitalised after hunger strike|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407110806/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/video/watch/26971369/asylum-seeker-hospitalised-after-hunger-strike/|archivedate=April 7, 2015|url-status=dead|accessdate=May 17, 2015}}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMnzIZ7_wkI|title=Candlelight Vigil - 9 News Perth|date=4 April 2015|work=YouTube}}

He was instrumental in advocating for and brokering the rollout of the "life-saving" Custody Notification Service in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-21/indigenous-custody-notification-service-to-become-nationwide/7955152|title=Hotline credited with saving lives of Aboriginal people held in custody to be rolled out nationally - October 21, 2016|work=abc.net.au|date=21 October 2016 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-cns-prevents-indigenous-deaths-in-custody-an-interview-with-gerry-georgatos//7955152|title=The CNS prevents Indigenous deaths in custody - October 19, 2017}}

Georgatos has worked extensively with homelessness. For years he argued that homelessness is worse than realised in the Kimberley region of Australia. His research reports that seven per cent of the Kimberley is homeless in some form. He said that nearly all the homeless people are Aboriginal.{{cite web|url=http://caama.com.au/seven-per-cent-of-the-kimberley-homeless|title=Seven per cent of the Kimberley homeless!|work=CAAMA|date=28 April 2015 }}

Georgatos has launched campaigns to house large homeless families,{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-20/homeless-family-living-in-a-tent-near-perth/5464946|title=Homeless family living in tent near Perth prompts call for better state housing priority|work=ABC News|date=20 May 2014}} such as the campaign for Homeless Friendly Precincts in July 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YEY26HvPvA|title=Homeless friendly precincts|work=Channel Nine News|date=26 July 2015 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ILEsCWTkhE|title=National interview on the homeless|website=YouTube|date=26 July 2015 }}

In 2020, during hard border COVID-19 lockdowns in Western Australia, Georgatos condemned the Western Australian Government for failing to accommodate and protect the street homeless. He led the National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Service{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/harmony-s-story-breaking-the-cycle-of-youth-incarceration-in-western-australia/f7fe944a-eb0e-4dbb-99d0-4586ffc9b9ed|title=Breaking the cycle of youth incarceration in Western Australia|work=SBS News}} to accommodate as many street homeless as possible during the lockdowns, which succeeded in accommodating twice as many street homeless as the state government.{{cite web|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6717431/plea-to-help-was-homeless-during-covid-19/|title=Plea to help WA's homeless during Covid-19|work=Canberra Times|date=8 April 2020}}

Georgatos has won awards for his investigative journalism.{{cite news|last=Meade|first=Amanda|date=15 January 2015|title=National Indigenous Times to keep publishing while in administration|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jan/15/national-indigenous-times-to-keep-publishing-while-in-administration|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, UK}} However, Georgatos has never been a career journalist and "forayed"{{cite news|last=Pappas|first=Penni|date=5 October 2012|title=The milk of human kindness|url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/14039/the-milk-of-human-kindness/|newspaper=Neos Kosmos|location=Melbourne}} for three years only into journalism, using the opportunity significantly to raise awareness of social justice crises, particularly of suicide crises.{{cite news|last=Georgatos|first=Gerry|date=10 September 2017|title=The nation should weep|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/10/we-should-weep-but-more-importantly-we-should-act-to-stop-indigenous-suicides|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London, UK}} He has published investigative reports with several publications, including the National Indigenous Times, the National Indigenous Radio Service and The Stringer.{{cite news|last=Stringer|first=The|date=19 January 2013|title=The Stringer|url=https://thestringer.com.au/gerry-georgatos-contributing-editor-and-journalist-480#.XIivH3duLIU|newspaper=The Stringer|location=Australia}} In 2013, Georgatos was the recipient of Journalist of the Year at the Multicultural Media Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20130917036|title=Multicultural Media Awards|last1=Moselmane|first1=The Hon Shaoquett|date=17 September 2013|website=Parliament of NSW|publisher=NSW Government|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224123950/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20130917036|archivedate=24 February 2015}} He was described as a "conspiracy theorist" for advocating the innocence of Schapelle Corby, who was convicted of drug smuggling in Indonesia.

Georgatos was initially endorsed as the Greens candidate for an anticipated 2009 by-election for the seat of Willagee in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, but given that former premier Alan Carpenter waited longer than expected to resign, the preselection was later re-opened and Georgatos was defeated by Hsien Harper. He then ran as an independent, winning 9% of the vote, and declared his intention of forming a rival Greens party.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2009/09/25/willagee-by-election/|title=Willagee by-election: November 28|last=Bowe|first=William|website=The Poll Bludger|publisher=Crikey|date=2009}}

In 2013 Georgatos was endorsed as the lead Wikileaks Party candidate for Western Australia in the Senate. He was embroiled in controversy for using Australia's preferential voting system to direct votes towards the centre-right National Party ahead of Scott Ludlam of the progressive Australian Greens. The preference deal was said to alienate Wikileaks Party supporters. Georgatos said the decision was made because of his admiration for the Nationals' Indigenous candidate David Wirrpanda, rather than for the National Party.{{cite news|last=Lampathakis|first=Paul|date=22 August 2013|title=WikiLeaks candidate Gerry Georgatos defends preferencing Nationals over Greens|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wikileaks-candidate-gerry-georgatos-defends-preferencing-nationals-over-greens/story-fnhocxo3-1226702078956|newspaper=Perth Now}} Georgatos claimed that his effective first preference was always Ludlam and that Wirrpanda was not a threat but that Georgatos wanted to send a message to all political parties to elect into parliament more Indigenous candidates. He was initially endorsed for the 2014 special election following the voiding of the Western Australian Senate result after the Australian Electoral Commission ruled Julian Assange ineligible to contest.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/schapelle-corby-conspiracy-theorist-to-stand-for-wikileaks-party-in-wa-senate-byelection-20140312-34lsj.html|title=Schapelle Corby conspiracy theorist to stand for Wikileaks Party in WA Senate byelection|last=Aston|first=Heath|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=12 March 2014}} He withdrew from the contest shortly after citing personal reasons.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-14/wikileaks-candidate-replacing-assange-in-wa-senate-withdraws/5319994|title=WA Wikileaks candidate pulls out of Senate race|last1=Weber|last2=Trigger|first1=David|first2=Rebecca|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=14 July 2014}}

Georgatos has had an association with Wheelchairs for Kids and pro bono headed the foundation arm of the charity, raising funds for rough terrain children's wheelchairs to be donated around the world.{{cite web|date=May 2012|title=Wheelchairs for Kids website|url=http://wheelchairsforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2013-April-May.pdf|location=WA}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWs-os2HKo0|title=Wheelchairs for Kids Channel Ten News|website=YouTube|date=2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/greek/en/content/wheelchairs-kids-helping-thousands|last1=Kastelloriou|first1=Stergos|date=1 December 2013|title=Helping thousands|publisher=Special Broadcasting Service}} {{as of|2013}} the charity operated a factory with around 100 volunteer workers on a typical day. It manufactures wheelchairs and sends them to children in impoverished countries. In that year, it donated around 25,000 wheelchairs to children in over 60 countries.{{cite news|last=Dalzell|first=Stephanie|date=15 March 2013|title=Perth retirees make wheelchairs for kids in need|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-14/charity-provides-wheelchairs-for-kids-in-need/4573704|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_MUt1KdLwg ABC Television News] Studio interview with Georgatos regarding Australia-Indonesia prisoner swap (Video)
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx1V09cwHvA NITV News] Studio interview with Georgatos regarding National Indigenous Times (Video)
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvkSjO_byLg The Drum] Live cross to Georgatos about Indonesian prisoners (Video)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgatos, Gerry}}

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Australian people of Greek descent

Category:Australian human rights activists

Category:Living people

Category:WikiLeaks Party politicians