Rotolo, Ms R.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (15:54): The Westminster system was born from a simple but powerful principle that citizens deserve to be represented by their peers. For centuries, its strength has rested on the one fundamental idea that parliaments function best when they reflect the aspirations, values and lived experiences of the communities they serve. A healthy democracy is one where people from all walks of life bring their stories, their challenges, their knowledge and their achievements into the chamber.

Yet over the years we have seen a narrowing of that diversity. Too many have arrived in this place treating politics as a chosen career, rather than as a calling. Too many have followed the well-worn path straight from university, into unions or political offices, and on to win preselections granted by people who often do not live in the community they are choosing a representative for. When parliaments become dominated by one type of background, one type of resume, we lose the richness of genuine community representation. We lose the voices of small business owners, volunteers, caregivers, educators, tradies and the many others who make our suburbs and towns thrive.

This is precisely why we need active, grounded community members like Rosalie Rotolo in the parliament of South Australia. Rosalie's story reflects the very best of South Australia. Born in Adelaide to Italian migrant parents, she grew up surrounded by the values of hard work, family and service. She has a very strong work ethic. By the age of 15, she was already helping her parents in the Adelaide Central Market and at just 19 she took the bold step of starting her own business. She founded Bottega Rotolo, a business that has become synonymous with quality, innovation and the celebration of great food. Rosalie built from scratch a company that brings iconic European foods and wine to consumers, while also creating a distribution network that champions artisan Australian producers. She understands that small producers are at the heart of our food culture and she has spent her time lifting them up.

Customer service and education are pillars of her business philosophy—values learned through decades of self-employment, relationship building and listening to customers, important skills for any member of parliament. Rosalie is a sought-after educator in the food industry, bringing the latest products and food trends to Australia and enriching the knowledge of both professionals and the public. Her eye for design led to the King William Road store being named the national finalist of the year in the 2014 Eat Drink Design Awards. Under her leadership, Bottega Rotolo grew into a beloved Adelaide institution and a truly national business, partnering with distributors to serve major corporate clients including Qantas, Foodland, IGA, Coles and Woolworths.

Beyond business, Rosalie has consistently stepped forward to serve. After a number of voluntary board roles, she was appointed South Australia's representative for the National Library of Australia in 2019 and to Carclew in 2020. Perhaps the strongest testament to Rosalie's love for her local community is the way she invests her time, her energy and her heart into it, a role she took on after successfully selling her business after 29 years. She volunteers with the Unley Mensa seniors group, serves on the board and as an active member of the Sturt Bowls Club, and is a proud supporter of the Sturt Football Club and the Unley Salvation Army, which does amazing work supporting the many who need their services in Unley.

During this campaign, she has raised funds for local organisations by asking people to donate for every step she takes, steps that now include the walking generated by doorknocking more than 6,000 homes, countless shopping centre visits, Australia Day ceremonies, Remembrance and ANZAC Day services, church fairs, school graduations and collaborations with the Unley and Mitcham councils. She has also done all of this while helping care for her elderly mother with special needs. This is what genuine community representation looks like. This is what community service looks like. That is why parliament needs people like Rosalie Rotolo, people who live in their community, work in their community and are committed to giving back to their community.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Ms Wortley): Member for Unley, may I take the opportunity to wish you well in your future endeavours.