ST HILARION AGED CARE FACILITY

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:33): It was my great pleasure last week to be invited to a very important and deeply significant community event, the Topping and Blessing of the Cross ceremony at St Hilarion Aged Care Facility. The ceremony was the precursor to the imminent expansion of the terrific range of aged care facilities operated by the Society of St Hilarion. For those not familiar with the work of the society, St Hilarion Aged Care is a not-for-profit organisation committed to providing professional quality care to ageing South Australians in a caring and family-oriented environment.

The ceremony was an opportunity to view first hand the major works the society is undertaking. At a cost of some $30 million, the facility will extend beyond traditional models of residential aged care and provide a taste for contemporary ambience that encourages independence, community interaction and outdoor activity. It was obvious by the building activity already present, and the proposed plans, that great care has been taken with the design to maximise the physical, social, mental and spiritual well-being of the residents.

I was pleased to join minister Paul Caica, in whose electorate St Hilarion is situated, together with other parliamentary colleagues Vini Ciccarello and Grace Portolesi, as well as Ivan Venning (representing the opposition) and the federal member for Hindmarsh (Steve Georganas). The City of Charles Sturt Mayor, Harold Anderson, was also present at the celebration.

The Chairman of the St Hilarion Aged Care Board, Joe Fanto, and his board members, the President of the Aged Care Building Appeal Committee, Mr Frank Agostino, and the chair, Cavaliere Don Totino, who will have the title of 'Commendatore' conferred on him this evening—congratulations to Don Totino—as well as the members and supporters of the Society of St Hilarion, deserve the community's thanks for their commitment and dedication to the aged in South Australia.

Without their time, talent and financial contributions, our society would be so much the poorer. Such people are dedicated to ensuring that old age is an increasingly meaningful and enjoyable part of life. Whilst St Hilarion Aged Care historically caters for residents of Italian origin, it now caters for a much wider cross-section of the Adelaide community.

With the first phase of this project costing $30 million, there is a need for minimum fundraising of $3 million. We were all impressed to hear that, through corporate support, individual donations and via the Aged Care Building Appeal fundraising activities, $1.6 million has already been raised.

Minister Caica pointed out that these achievements also continue the remarkable and enduring contribution to the wellbeing and prosperity of South Australians by our state's Italian community. In particular, when we talk about St Hilarion we celebrate the timeless work undertaken by Italian South Australians with links to the Calabria region, who make up about 25 per cent of Italian immigrants to South Australia. Incredibly, about 8,000 of those can trace their heritage back to the town of Caulonia where St Hilarion is the patron saint.

Four special families were acknowledged on the day for having the vision to commence the community celebration of the St Hilarion Feast Day first held in 1955 and held every year since. They were the Ciccarello, Costa and Fazzalari families and Illario Lamberto. They were represented on the day by Rosemary Velardo, Joyce Costa, Rhonda Baftiroski and Illario Nesci. There was also a moving tribute to the immense contribution made by the late Vic Zerella, who passed away recently.

There is no doubt that the impending growth in the number of our state's elderly citizens presents both challenges and opportunities for South Australia. Over the next 25 years, projections indicate that the number of South Australians aged 65 and above will almost double to 440,000 people. That is around 25 per cent of the state's population.

With statistics like these, the good works of the St Hilarion Aged Care Society become more significant and appreciated. In providing aged care services for our Italian and wider communities, it practices the values of diversity as well as inclusiveness. Again, I congratulate everybody for their commitment and I urge everyone to contribute to the fundraising appeal, and I look forward to the completion and official opening of the facility early next year.