How Andrea Michaels went from living in her uncle’s shed in Enfield to being the local MP
South Australia is full of inspirational refugee stories. You can add that of Arts Minister Andrea Michaels, whose family fled war-torn Cyprus in the 1970s, to the list.
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Andrea Michaels’ family fled Cyprus during the Turkish invasion in 1974; at the time her mother, Eva, was pregnant with Andrea.
They eventually came to Adelaide and lived in their uncle’s shed in Blair Athol, in the seat of Enfield.
Today, Ms Michaels is the Member for Enfield.
“It still blows my mind … ,” she says.
Her family’s journey of hope is symbolic of that experienced by many refugees around the globe, she says.
And this journey is celebrated with the addition of Little Amal – a 3.5m puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl which has become a global symbol of human rights – to this year’s Adelaide Festival.
Today Ms Michaels, also the state’s Arts Minister, talks about her family’s journey and what Little Amal means to her, in this Q&A with SA Weekend.
Q: What does the addition of Little Amal to the Adelaide Festival mean to you on a personal level?
ANDREA MICHAELS: Little Amal is a symbol of hope for so many people around the world and for me, it represents not only my family’s story but that of millions of people who have experienced the trauma of having to leave their home and start again in a new country.
In 1974, like many others, my family lost their home during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. They escaped as the Turkish army was approaching their village, thinking they would be able to return in a few days, and instantly became refugees.
My brothers lost their toys, my parents lost their property and all their treasured possessions.
Perhaps worst of all, by the time we made it to Adelaide we had left all of our extended family behind which, for me, meant I did not meet my grandparents until I was in Year 6 and I had no cousins to play with growing up.
Little Amal is a reminder of that trauma but also how lucky we were to be able to come to South Australia and to have had the opportunities we’ve had here to rebuild.
She also reinforces the value and contribution refugees have made to South Australia. Both of my parents worked incredibly hard to make a new life here, as so many other refugees and migrants have done and continue to do.
We were warmly welcomed and supported by so many people in our new home, but it was not universally the case, and I feel it should have been.
How we as a society treat our new migrants, whether they be refugees or other migrants, is something that I feel passionate about and seek to influence as a minister and member of parliament.
We should cherish the richness of new cultures and give these families every opportunity to feel at home and succeed in this great state.
Q: Tell us about your family’s journey?
AM: In August 1974, we fled Cyprus during the Turkish invasion. Mum was pregnant with me, and my brothers, Michael and Tony, were six and eight.
They jumped in a car as they heard the Turkish army approaching their village and made it to an orange orchard in the unoccupied part of Cyprus, where they stayed for several days.
They caught a boat to Athens and then flew to London. Our family was torn apart. My grandparents stayed and my Dad couldn’t leave until some months later.
I was born in May 1975 in London. Dad had a brother there, so we stayed with him for the short time we were there, with my brothers attending school not able to speak a word of English.
We couldn’t get visas to stay in the UK so my parents had to choose between moving to New York or South Australia. Dad had an uncle in South Australia and Mum had family in New York so those were our options and they decided that Adelaide was the furthest from all of the trauma they had experienced.
We came out to South Australia and lived in my uncle’s shed in Blair Athol (in the seat of Enfield). It still blows my mind that I’ve gone from living in a shed in Enfield to being the Member for Enfield and that’s not something I ever take for granted.
Q: What are your earliest and most vivid memories of this time?
AM: I remember starting kindy at Croydon and my brothers were at the primary school, which was quite a challenging experience.
My parents were typical migrants and worked seven days a week to provide for us. We managed to buy a two-bedroom house in Croydon where I shared a room with my parents and my brothers were in the other bedroom.
When we were in Blair Athol, my Mum had to walk everywhere with me in a pusher and two little kids walking alongside her because we didn’t have a car.
Dad was a carpenter and as he built his own business, I remember Michael having to go with Dad to give quotes because Dad couldn’t speak English. Michael had picked it up during his year in London.
Q: How has that shaped you as a person?
AM: It’s given me a desire to help people who are less fortunate.
I’m in a privileged position and lots of people aren’t and it’s made me want to help create a more tolerant and giving society in South Australia with better government services, a better health and education system and a stronger economy and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
I’ve never forgotten where I came from, and I know how important these things are … without them, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I’ve had.
Q: How important is the story of Little Amal in the modern context, given what we see in the Middle East and Ukraine?
AM: No one becomes a refugee by choice, whether it was 50 years ago or now, and I think the story of Little Amal is a reminder of that. And a reminder of the trauma refugees experience and the importance of being a welcoming society.
Q: What can we learn from it?
AM: We can see the benefits, not only for the people coming here, but the benefits to South Australia from welcoming refugees. Migrants have contributed so much to South Australia, both economically and culturally, and that should be recognised and celebrated.
Q: What are your hopes for this year’s Adelaide Festival?
AM: Adelaide is the epicentre of arts and culture in Australia and we’re internationally renowned for our incredible festivals.
There are so many events and performances across a range of genres to suit every taste and budget with a number of free events including Little Amal on her journey in Adelaide, so I hope everyone gets out there and enjoys the festival season!
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