ITALO-AUSTRALIAN MP FORUM

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (15:45): Today I would like to talk briefly about a forum which is meeting in this place later this afternoon and tomorrow, that is, the Australia-Italia MP Forum, of which I am the convenor and Richard Dalla-Riva (a Liberal from Victoria) is the deputy convenor. Members of this house and the upper house are also members. The object of the forum is that it seeks to promote and advance better economic, cultural and educational relationships between Australia and Italia. The forum advocates for closer links and better services and resources for Italian-Australians who have settled in Australia.

Membership to the forum is open to members of parliament from an Italian background from all Australian jurisdictions and members of the Italian parliament based in Australia. Officials from the Italian Embassy and consulates in Australia are also invited to participate in our forum meetings. Reflecting its multipartisan membership, Liberal, Labor and other minor parties are members of the forum. At all times, the forum does endeavour to reach decisions through consensus. The forum seeks to add value to the work of existing organisations and processes and not duplicate the efforts of government and non-government organisations whose objects are similar to those of the forum.

The forum communicates with and works alongside existing key Italian-Australian organisations to achieve our objects. The forum seeks to develop links with key people and organisations in Italy and the European Union as a means of advancing the objects of our forum. As Italy is a key player in Europe, the forum seeks to work with the EU delegation in Australia as a means of enhancing links and communication with Italy, particularly in those areas where the interests of Italy and Europe overlap.

In relation to the program for the forum, a reception is being hosted by the Speaker of the House of Assembly—and I thank him for his hospitality—this evening and at which a number of community and business leaders will meet with MPs from across Australia. One of the highlights of tonight, apart from having a number of speakers, including the Italian ambassador, is a special screening of the Italian Spiderman video of which some members may be aware. Italian Spiderman now has—

Ms Fox interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: I don't know. The Italian Spiderman is a cult video and has had over two million hits on the web. The director is a Flinders University student, Dario Russo. He is speaking tonight at the function about the project and how the program started. Tonight's program will also include a forum dinner, which will attended by MPs of Italian background and also Marcia Fisher who is CEO of the Italian Benevolent Foundation. Our discussion tonight will be around aged care for Australians of Italian background.

The forum starts early tomorrow morning, with a forum breakfast at 7.30am, which is proudly sponsored by Com.It.Es(SA), the Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Consul to South Australia. Formal forum discussions will take place tomorrow from 8.30am. On the agenda for tomorrow is a briefing by the Italian Ambassador to Australia, Stefano Janfolla, then we have speakers from Com.It.Es; the Italian Youth Group, ITSA; and also the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They will brief us on issues affecting the Italian-Australian community in South Australia. We will also have an update of what is happening in the Italian parliament by Marco Fedi and Nino Randazzo, who are MPs elected to the Italian parliament but who are based in Australia.

In addition, we will look at issues regarding the teaching of Italian in Australia and whether the focus on Asian studies will impact in a negative way on the teaching of the Italian language and culture in Australia. We will also address the needs of Australian Italians in terms of aged care. We will undertake an audit of the Australian-Italian agreements and also work on a project which has been sponsored by the Australian Ambassador to Italy (Amanda Vanstone) to promote the Australian-Italian relationship.

Some of the MPs from interstate who will be involved in this forum include: Liliana D'Ambrosio from Victoria; Angela D'Amore from New South Wales; John D'Orazio from Western Australia; Amanda Fazio, a member of the upper house in New South Wales; Grace Grace from Queensland; and Donato Nardella from Victoria. Local MPs include John Gazzola and the member for Unley (Mr Pisoni).

Time expired.