Our Minister

Minister for Housing

Mr Kon Vatskalis, MLA

Biography

Minister for Business and Economic Development
Minister for Tourism
Minister for Housing
Minister for Asian Relations
Minister for Regional Development
Minister for Defence Support
Minister for Essential Services

Born

Argostoli, Kefallonia, Greece, 4.4.1957

Educated

Primary & secondary schooling, Greece;

• 1976 - 78 Tertiary Vocational Education, (Public Health) Greece;
• 1978 - 81  Conscripted to Hellenic Air Force;
• 1983  Immigrated to Australia;
• 1983 - 85  Bachelor Degree in Environmental Health, Western Australian Institute of Technology , WA;
• 1986 - 89  Grad. Dip. Environmental Science, Murdoch University, WA;
• 1995 - 97  Certificate in Public Sector Management, Flinders University, SA;
• 1999   Masters in Public Health, Curtin University, WA (incomplete).

Married

Margaret (1989);

Children

Alexander (B. 1989); Michael (b 1994)

Work history

• 1981 – 83 Hospitality Industry, Greece;
• 1983   Emigrated to Perth, Australia;
• 1986 – 88,  Environmental Health Officer, City of Wanneroo, WA;
• 1988 – 90,  Senior Environmental Health Officer, City of Wanneroo;
• 1990 – 93,  Principal Environmental Health Officer, Port Hedland Shire Council, WA;
• 1993 – 99,  Manager, Environmental Health Section, Department of Health & Community Services, Darwin;
• 1999 – 2001, Director Clinical Services, Danila Dilba Health Service, Darwin;
• 2001,  elected as MLA for Casuarina and becomes part of the first Labor Government in the Northern Territory;
• 2005,  re-elected as MLA for Casuarina.

Interests, hobbies, activities

Kon is accredited with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) and till his election as an MLA had  worked for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs in WA and the Office of Ethnic Affairs in the NT as an interpreter.

• 1993 – 94  taught Greek at Darwin’s Greek School;
• 1994   Kon enlisted  in the RAAF Reserve as an Environmental Health Officer and served with the rank of Flight Lieutenant till 1999;
• 1994 – 96,  Member of the Governing Council of  the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia;
• 1993 – 99,  Produced and presented Greek program on 8TOP FM;
• 1993 – 2001  reporter for the SBS radio Greek programs;
• 1996 – 2001  coach, Mindil Aces junior soccer team.

Kon’s present interests include reading, history, travel, including camping with his family. He maintains an interest in the preservation of all local aspects of Greek culture and traditions.

Contact:
GPO Box 3146
Darwin NT 0801
Telephone: 08 8901 4118
Facsimile: 08 8901 4119
Email: kon.vatskalis@nt.gov.au
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