ITALIAN CONSULATE

Ms FOX (Bright) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms FOX: Can the minister report on her recent meeting with His Excellency the Italian Ambassador, Signor di Montegiordano?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:36): Si, Signorina Chloe Fox. It would give me enormous pleasure to answer this question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: The member for Bragg asked me to talk about what was happening with the consulate and that is precisely what I am about to do.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Bragg!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: On Monday this week, I was very pleased to have a meeting with His Excellency Gian Ludovico de Martino di Montegiordano in Canberra.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: No, I won't say that again; he is not from Puglia. I have to thank His Excellency for granting me another opportunity to meet with him because it was the second such meeting in as many weeks. It was not that long ago that I met with him to talk about this very matter of the future of the consulate here in Adelaide, in Glynde in my lovely electorate of Hartley.

I made it very clear to His Excellency—and he understands this very clearly—that this government would not abandon our Italian community. We stand by so many other communities in the state, and we would not stand by as a question mark remains over the future of the consulate.

He, of course, advised me that we have an acting consulate and, for now at least, I am advised that the consulate will remain open until the end of 2011. Of course, whilst we were there, I did raise the issue that was going on here. I understand there is no role, and I certainly did not ask for him to make any comment or to intervene on this matter that we are experiencing here in South Australia other than to make the point that what we are experiencing here in South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —brings home the need for a very strong consulate presence here. The Italian community needs strong representation from the Italian government and that is what we are committed to. The ambassador advised me that he believed very strongly in the trading relationship between Australia and Italy. In fact, it was not that long ago that I arranged for His Excellency to meet with Tim O'Loughlin, who is our commissioner for sustainability, I believe.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: One of the very tangible opportunities that the ambassador sees is for collaboration around renewable and sustainable energy. He also met with Rod Hook. Why did he meet with Rod Hook? He met with Rod Hook when he was here most recently because—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Finniss, be warned.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for MacKillop, you are warned.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for MacKillop, be quiet.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: His Excellency also advised me that he was very excited about South Australia's infrastructure spend and would be here in the new year, possibly at the end of January or early February, to further progress these ideas he has about Italian companies, serious companies, doing business here in South Australia. In fact, he also reported to me that our federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, was in Rome on Friday promoting trade relationships between the two countries.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Waite.