Victoria takes a stand: Premier and Lord Mayor demand UK return Parthenon Sculptures
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
The British government has been put on notice by Victoria’s politicians, with Premier Jacinta Allan and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece demanding the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece.
In a direct letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, dated February 24, Allan made it clear that the so-called Elgin Marbles belong in Greece—not a British museum.
“Almost one in 20 people in Melbourne are British expats, and millions more share a link to the United Kingdom that goes back generations,” she wrote, acknowledging Victoria’s historic ties to Britain.
But her real message was for the state’s vast Greek community.
“Victoria is also home to the largest Greek community outside Greece, and we’re proud of that, too.”
Then she laid it out plainly,”The Greek community believes Greek history belongs in Greek museums. So, do I.”
Allan didn’t mince words when describing how the Parthenon Sculptures ended up in Britain, calling their theft “by a British nobleman a travesty.”
She made it clear that for Greek Australians, this isn’t just a historical grievance—it’s an ongoing injustice.
“Today, the British Museum holds more than half of the Parthenon’s remaining decorations. Victorian Greeks, young and old, regularly raise this injustice with me,” she wrote.
Allen in her final line left no room for debate, “The UK Government must return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, where they belong.”
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece also turned up the heat. In a letter to British Minister for Arts and Tourism Chris Bryant on February 28, Reece ripped into the UK’s excuses for inaction.
“As a Minister of the Crown, you should take responsibility for a decision as important as the location of the Parthenon Sculptures,” he wrote, making it clear that dodging the issue wouldn’t cut it.
Reece then called on Bryant to “reconsider your government’s position” and took aim at his weak justification for inaction. Bryant had claimed he was “powerless” to intervene, deferring the decision to the British Museum—an argument Reece dismissed as an “abrogation” of duty and a “failure of leadership.”
“Referring this decision [Return of the Sculptures] to the British Museum and claiming that you are powerless to act is an abrogation of your responsibilities. It is a failure of leadership,” Reece declared.
With Victoria’s leaders now throwing their weight behind Greece’s decades-long campaign, pressure is mounting on Britain to finally do the right thing. The message from Melbourne is clear – the Parthenon Sculptures were stolen, and it’s time to give them back.
See the letters below:
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