Festa della Repubblica

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:38): On behalf of the member for Light, I move:

That this house—

(a) acknowledge Festa della Repubblica or Italian National Day, is celebrated on 2 June 2024;

(b) notes this day can be traced back to 25 April 1945, when partisans liberated Italy from Fascist rule;

(c) recognises the multigenerational legacy of resilience and hard work, faith and family of South Australia’s Italian community;

(d) congratulates the Malinauskas Labor government for strengthening the ties that bind our proud multicultural communities in South Australia; and

(e) wishes the South Australian Italian community a safe and festive Italian National Day.

It is a very important day for our Italian community and the country of Italy to remind ourselves of their national day. I was so pleased to join our Consul of Italy on Monday night, along with the Premier, to not only recognise two leaders in our Italian community with the recognition merits that they were awarded, the Star of Italy, but to gather our community to recognise the 78^th national day.

We sometimes take for granted the situations we find ourselves in. Of course, in order to have economic growth and stability people have often gone through very challenging times. On 25 April 1945, the Italian people made the decision to embrace democracy and to live the life that they are living.

It was so pleasing to have so many of our Italian community join us for this celebration. I think it is the second time that we have co-hosted, along with the Italian consul. The member for Hartley, the member for Newland and the member for Dunstan were in attendance on Monday night along with about 80 people. It was great to see the diversity of enterprise that people have been a part of since their time in South Australia. There were people involved in the construction industry, in hospitality and in retail, and we know that people have been academics. Their contribution was there and this is a special day for us to recognise these people in the community.

We were entertained by some beautiful music by very well-known Italian composer Ennio Morricone. There was a very special surprise when the consul himself joined in with his saxophone—a hidden talent that none of us knew he had. It was a little bit noisy so not everyone heard.

It was a day to reflect the decision that Italy made and also to talk about the future. Obviously, Italy is now known for its fashion, its food manufacturing, of course, its car manufacturing and its involvement in defence, particularly in shipbuilding. The relationships and connections between Australia and Italy still continue. As we look to build through our AUKUS agreement, there are things we can learn from each other in that collaboration of opportunity.

As Minister for Multicultural Affairs, I have been absolutely delighted over the last few years to see new migrants coming from Italy and choosing to make South Australia their home. What we have actually seen is a rejuvenation in preserving culture. Even people in Italy who did not appreciate or connect to their culture have come to South Australia and seen our fantastic community centres. At its peak, there are probably more than 20 different Italian community centres spread all over South Australia, including in areas such as Whyalla, Port Pirie and Coober Pedy These centres were created by people who settled there with their own blood, sweat and tears, often putting in their own volunteer labour to build the community centre and to put in the plumbing and who now for decades have volunteered to maintain those community centres.

The Kapunda club, which many of us have been to many times, is very well known for its Friday pizza nights and its bocce. Only a few years ago, we celebrated 40 years of its establishment. What we saw was our Italian community creating a safe space where they could have engagement parties, wedding receptions and celebrate special birthdays; a place where they could gather to speak in language, to connect and to feel close with each other.

One of the things I often remind people of is that particularly families who came to South Australia post World War II, when they said goodbye, many of them never saw their parents or grandparents ever again. It is hard for us to think of not having the close connection of FaceTime or WhatsApp or cheaper airfares, as they have come down over the last decade, and that we can go back whenever we want. Many of our Italian community, many who are not with us anymore, never got to go back, so when they said goodbye it was forever. So these community clubs became such an important part of them as a part of a community.

That is why it was so great on Monday night to see that there were volunteers from each and every one of the clubs invited to come along to celebrate this special day. What that meant is that every year that this event is held, different people come along to celebrate and recognise and enjoy a small function, being able to celebrate that special event.

So I support this motion and acknowledge that Festa della Repubblica or Italian National Day is celebrated this year on 2 June, and I note and recognise our Italian community. In the last Census data 100,000 South Australians identified Italian ancestry, so they are our largest community who migrated here. Many people are second or third generation now, but we still see this incredible contribution to our community.

As part of the Malinauskas Labor government we think and feel—and I know it is bipartisan—that this diversity is our strength, and it is important to recognise, when we think about these things, that the decisions that were made and the time they were made has then led to Italy being in the place economically where it is today, but to also recognise our own Italian community for their contribution to South Australia. I support the motion.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (12:46): I rise to amend the motion as follows:

Delete paragraph (d) and insert new paragraph (d):

(d) notes that multicultural policy in South Australia enjoys multipartisan support that helps to strengthen multicultural and intercultural engagement; and

The amended motion would now read:

That this house—

(a) acknowledge Festa della Repubblica or Italian National Day, is celebrated on 2 June 2024;

(b) notes this day can be traced back to 25 April 1945, when partisans liberated Italy from Fascist rule;

(c) recognises the multigenerational legacy of resilience and hard work, faith and family of South Australia’s Italian community;

(d) notes that multicultural policy in South Australia enjoys multipartisan support that helps to strengthen multicultural and intercultural engagement; and

(e) wishes the South Australian Italian community a safe and festive Italian National Day.

The Labor Party talks about bipartisanship and multipartisanship when it comes to the multicultural community, but what they say and what they do are sometimes two different things. If this was a motion about Australia Day, do you think we would be having this conversation? I put that to you. It is a rhetorical question. It is a little bit disappointing that the government has sought to politicise such a very important and special day.

I reflect back on some of the statements that have been made in this house. Of course, we know that migrants who have come to this country, this state, seeking a better life have embraced this country and added value to this country. As was pointed out last night, they were quite happy to do whatever it took to build a home, build a life for their family, contribute to the economy and grow their family, whether it was laying bricks, whether it was working in the mines, whether it was working at the rail yards, whether it was working at Holden for years. Migrants who have come to this country, especially from the Italian community, were willing to do whatever it took to provide a better life for their family and contribute here in South Australia to this great nation.

So it is a little bit disappointing to see the language of such a national day politicised by the government in this motion, and that is why we are seeking to amend it—and amend it we will to reflect a more appropriate set of words.

I also attended the event this week that was held by the government. Of course, it goes without saying that the government of the day has these sorts of events and I appreciate being invited to these events, because these events should be bipartisan in nature. This event was attended by a plethora of people in the Italian community right throughout our state, as has been alluded to. Some of them were from commerce, some of them were from the space industry and some of them were from the humanities area—language schools, etc.

It was a delight to hear and to again speak to Ernesto Pianelli, who is the Italian Consul here in South Australia. Can I say, he is doing an absolutely sterling job. There was also an opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to two local South Australians who have excelled in relations between Australia and Italy: examples like Martino Princi, examples like Nic Sasanelli. I was recently at an event where George Belperio was also acknowledged in a similar fashion at a similar ceremony.

I can actually announce to the house that, after much delay over an extended period of time, this house will form its own Italian-South Australian Friendship Group in the parliament, and you are all invited. I extend the olive branch to the member for Light on that side of the chamber to make sure we set up this friendship group and that it continues to foster good links and collaboration between the two sides of the chamber, because I think it is in everybody's interest.

As the minister has pointed out, we have over 100,000 people of Italian descent in South Australia. Many of those are in my own electorate. I think even the member for Bragg has a few. The member for Finniss has a few. I know that the member for Hammond has a few, as well as all the other electorates—even yourself, Deputy Speaker. It is in our interest to continue to foster that collaborative spirit when it comes to the Italian community, their former home and their current home here in South Australia.

Recently, speaking to this motion, I was lucky enough to be involved in a webinar with the Italian Trade Agency where it was explained to us that in 2022 Australia actually invested $8.4 billion in Italy in that year alone. There are many different examples of investment opportunities—in fact, even the member for West Torrens, I think, was in Italy a couple of weeks ago. I have no doubt that he represented the state well. I was not invited on that trip, but I am sure he enjoyed his time over there.

The Italian government's focus on digital infrastructure to increase connectivity with European peers has been noted, as has Italy's role as a European gateway and also its investment in transport infrastructure. When you go to not only the south of Italy but the north of Italy, parts that border Switzerland, for example, if you want to talk about tunnels, look at what they are doing over there in Europe. They have some of the best technology and some of the most profound, best countries in the world that do it better than anyone.

Italy is also investing in renewable energy to reach climate neutrality by 2050, and there are significant advantages for South Australia, and Australia more broadly, to invest in Italy. For example, we know that Italy is a strategic gateway to Europe, being ranked first regarding trading across borders in a recent score. We also know that there is a relatively low corporate income tax rate of 24 per cent, which is lower than many nations. It is also second in the EU for production value in the pharma sector: €32.3 billion, immediately after Germany at €32.9 billion, followed by France at €23.2 billion and also the United Kingdom and Spain.

There is over €200 billion of funding available through the national Recovery and Resilience Plan. When you look at Europe more broadly, there is access to literally hundreds of millions of dollars in EU customers and also several hundreds of millions of dollars available in other similar parts. We know that there are also substantial, large government incentives that are available for companies that are wanting to invest—large companies, SMEs and start-ups—and also in R&D. There is also a very high patent growth rate. This country continues to be a part of the manufacturing powerhouse of Europe—Italy as well as Germany.

Despite other developed nations that have had their challenges when it comes to things like wage prices and tensions that make the land less competitive, Italy is one that, despite these challenges, continues to excel in this regard. Why would we not want a part of that? Why would we not want to use our competitive advantages here in this country to trade more with Italy?

Italy ranks 11^th in the 2024 Kearney FDI Confidence Index, indicating high investment attractiveness. The hourly labour costs in Italy in 2023 were significantly lower than in other major EU countries. It is one of the reasons we have seen this new renaissance of Italian migrants who want to continue to come to this country, but come to this country and work hard, not necessarily for a hand out but a hand up, because they know that descendants before them have come to this country and worked hard and been given an opportunity by Australia to work hard, to add value and, at the same time, to improve life for their own families. Why would we not embrace more of these people who want to do the right thing and come to this country?

Italy is also the first in Europe for a number of biological producers and second in the EU for added value in the ag food sector. When I recently had the chance to visit Italy I saw firsthand the kinds of agriculture produced out of Italy—very diverse. Some fruits still to this day continue to be seeded and exported right throughout the world. In concluding, I acknowledge the very important day that is the Festa della Repubblica, the Italian National Day, that was recently celebrated on 2 June. I also take this opportunity to thank all the Italian groups, organisations, leaders in those respective groups for contributing on this great day. I will leave it there for today.

Ms SAVVAS (Newland) (12:56): I, too, would like to speak to the original motion and put my congratulations and my best wishes on record for the Festa della Repubblica, which was celebrated on Sunday 2 June. It is always a privilege for me to celebrate and acknowledge the work of the Italian community here in South Australia. I have a great love for the Italian language, and it is my all-time favourite holiday destination as well, and for the Italian community, which has made such a huge influence here in South Australia.

If we think back to the event on Monday at the National Wine Centre, as mentioned by the minister and the member for Hartley, it would be very hard to discount the level of influence when looking around the room and seeing business leaders, leaders in science, leaders in the humanities, leaders in academia and, of course, political leaders. Looking around at the influence that Italian migration has had on South Australia is paramount and something that I think we should continue to foster in South Australia and continue to celebrate in the South Australian parliament.

I, too, very much look forward to supporting the Parliamentary Friends of Italy, as foreshadowed by the member for Hartley and continuing to do my best to foster my relationship with Italian communities in my electorate and in the north-eastern suburbs overall. In the past week or two we have had lots of different celebrations to acknowledge the national day. Last week I went along to the Bene Aged Care—The Italian Village in my electorate at St Agnes. It is an Italian nursing home that was set up by prominent leaders in the Italian community some years ago.

There were a number of people there who celebrated with us at an exhibition that has been put on at the nursing home: Detore Carmine De Pasquale; there were the two Tony Cocchiaros, of course, who have had a huge influence in the community there; and we were joined by Tina Taddeo, who is on the Bene board, as well as our new consul, Ernesto Pianelli. They all joined with us to celebrate this wonderful Italian photography exhibition in the nursing home.

Bene is one example of the way that the Italian community has really sought to foster a place of inclusion and continuation of the culture for those individuals who migrated to South Australia. It was really wonderful to see that the residents were partaking in celebrations for the national day. Many of them were chatting to each other in Italian, and I used some broken Italian in return. Bene exists as a place where we are able to celebrate language, culture and, of course, beautiful food. As always, they put on a beautiful spread for those of us visiting Bene.

I was also on Radio Italiana 531, on Monday, with another leader in the Italian community, John Di Fede, and I would like to acknowledge his work at my local Italian club, the Campania Club, over many years. I celebrated with John on the radio on Monday, talking about the influence of Italians here in South Australia. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00.