South Australian Italian Association 75th Anniversary

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (21:19): I move:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the South Australian Italian Association (SAIA) on reaching its remarkable 75^th anniversary in 2024;

2. Recognises the proud history and contributions of the SAIA as a community hub which preserves and promotes Italian culture, services and experiences in partnership with the wider Italian community of South Australia;

3. Acknowledges the outstanding contributions of founding members, community leaders, current and past presidents, committee members, volunteers and supporters who have carried on the legacy of the founding members in serving the Italian community and enriching our multicultural society in South Australia;

4. Commends the SAIA for creating the prestigious recognition programme, namely the SAIA Excellence Awards, which aims to promote and perpetuate the Italian-South Australian heritage and celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of individuals or organisations in the South Australian community;

5. Acknowledges the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirits of the Italian community and pays tribute to the outstanding contributions that first-generations and subsequent generations of Italian migrants have made and continue to make to our resilient and dynamic multicultural society; and

6. Reflects on the achievements and vision of the SAIA as a centre for all, helping to connect South Australian Italians to their cultural heritage, fostering strong business and cultural ties between South Australia and Italy and delivering 75 years of dedicated service to the Italian community in South Australia.

It is a great honour to rise today to congratulate the South Australian Italian Association on reaching its remarkable 75^th anniversary in 2024. Strong leadership is the backbone of every successful organisation. I wish to take this opportunity to honour the outstanding hard work and significant contributions of the current South Australian Italian Association President, Cavalieri Dr Phillip Donato OAM, past presidents and current and past board members, wonderful volunteers and supporters.

Their passion, dedication and community spirit are the hallmarks of this association that uphold the legacy of their founding members in serving the Italian community, and enriching the multicultural society in South Australia continues to this day. A special shout-out to Dr Phillip Donato OAM. Those of us who have had the pleasure to meet and work with Phillip would agree with me that he is truly a gentleman who is kind and generous. His exceptional leadership skills, active community engagement and his ability to work with people from all walks of life have earned him the respect from his board members and government officials as well as the broader South Australian community.

In addition to Dr Phillip Donato OAM, I would also like to place on the record my appreciation to the board members of SAIA, which include Vice President, Edi Carlesso; Treasurer, Christina Clemente; Secretary, Lou Fantasia; and other board members Frank Russo, Natasha Marona, Tony Bava, Angelo Benedetti, and Luke Corletto. Sylvana D'Elena and Eloise Abraham work hard as the manager and administration assistant to support SAIA.

For more than seven decades, SAIA has been the centre of a range of community services, serving as a hub which preserves and promotes Italian culture, working in partnership with the wider Italian community in South Australia. Its establishment was inspired by passionate, generous and community-minded individuals who were determined to deliver social and welfare services to the rapidly growing Italian community in South Australia.

Between July 1947 and 1950, over 30,000 Italians migrated to Australia, escaping the suffering and economic strife that followed the end of the Second World War, with many seeking a better life in South Australia. In 1949, the Catholic Italian Welfare Association was created to serve the social and welfare needs of newly arrived migrants, becoming incorporated in 1952 and purchasing the renowned Italian home at 262 Carrington Street, Adelaide.

In 1965, the Catholic Italian Welfare Association was one of several Italian community organisations which merged to form the Italian Australian Centre. Following a further restructure, the South Australian Italian Association was formed in 1967, becoming the association that we know and love today. After an intense period of rebuilding, the new Italian Centre was officially opened in April 1972, becoming the second home for many in the South Australian Italian community. The centre itself has had a varied and vibrant history, hosting the iconic Sunday night disco, Friday night cabaret, the beloved Enoteca Restaurant, and the Italian Chamber of Commerce over the years.

Today, the Italian Centre is home to not only SAIA but also the Adelaide Italian Festival, the Dante Alighieri Society of SA, the South Australian Association of Teachers of Italian and Com.It.Es South Australia Committee for Italians Abroad. The South Australian Italian Association's mission was evolved over time to respond to the changing circumstances and priorities of the Italian community in our state. While this objective may have changed in some ways, its dedication to being the overarching association for all Italo-Australians, regardless of regional identities, endures.

It has been a privilege to witness the South Australian Italian Association grow from strength to strength, building on its strong foundation to accomplish new goals under Phillip Donato's outstanding leadership, with support from SAIA board members. In 2019, the SA Italian Association facilitated the commencement of the new Italian Festival, becoming the inaugural and ongoing not-for-profit sponsor for the festival.

In 2022, the SA Italian Association held its first biannual Awards for Excellence gala dinner as part of the Adelaide Italian Festival. This prestigious recognition program was established to showcase the extraordinary accomplishments of individuals or organisations in the South Australian community. I was absolutely delighted to attend this year's SAIA's Excellence Awards on Saturday 9 November 2024, which also served as a fabulous celebration of the association's 75^th anniversary.

It was a great honour to join the Hon. Vincent Tarzia MP, Leader of the Opposition, along with many distinguished guests from the Italian community, as well as the Hon. Frank Pangallo, to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the individuals and organisations with a proud Italian heritage.

Many multicultural communities look to the Italian community for inspiration as a successful role model for migration and multiculturalism. The pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit and the success story of our proud and passionate Italian community can be found right across our state in business and export, in education and healthcare settings, and in all professions and industries—indeed, in every aspect of our society.

I would like to take this opportunity to convey my heartfelt congratulations to the outstanding 2024 SAIA Excellence Award recipients in the following six categories. Pat Scalzi OAM was the winner of the Community Award. Since 1992, Pat Scalzi has proudly grown his family business, Scalzi Produce, to become South Australia's premier fruit and vegetable wholesaler. Pat contributes to many community clubs, including Radio Italiano and the Order of St John of Jerusalem. He has been a board member of SA Produce Market since 1987, which supported many charities, and in 2000 Pat received an Order of Australia Medal for his outstanding service and extensive contribution to the local horticultural industry. I am sure Pat Scalzi is well known to the Hon. Nicola Centofanti.

The next winner is the winner of the Culture and Arts Award, won by Claudia Callisto. Claudia Callisto is a cultural storyteller and a bestselling author of the memoir The Good Italian Girl, which shares her experience in growing up in an Italian-Australian family and finding her own identity and passion as an ethnic woman. Claudia has written and performed three seasons of Fringe shows, sharing her and other Italian-Australian women's stories. Claudia has also curated cultural exhibitions to help preserve Australian-Italian heritage for the community.

The next winner is the winner of the Research and Development and Innovation Award, Professor John Beltrame AM. Professor John Beltrame is a world renowned academic cardiologist with active research, clinical and teaching roles. He is the Michell Chair and Discipline of Medicine Lead at the University of Adelaide, and senior cardiologist at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital. In 2019, John was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia AM for his significant service to cardiovascular medicine and to medical research and education.

The winner of the Small Business Award was won by Antonio Virgara. Tony Virgara migrated to Australia in 1962 at the age of 13 and started working the following year. He operates his award-winning family business, Virgara Wines. With his incredible work ethic and determination, Tony has been successful in all his endeavours and still works tirelessly to this day, 60 years later, with no plans to retire.

The winner of the Large Business Award was Cavaliere Frank Agostino. I think most honourable members would know Frank quite well. Frank Agostino is a giant of South Australian business. At one time, the Agostino Group was the largest and the most successful Mitsubishi dealership group in South Australia. Today, the Agostino Group is one of the most significant operators in the state, with a range of fuel and convenience stores, Subway restaurants and Carl's Jnr restaurants across South Australia.

Frank also established Pendleton Olive Estate, which produces extra virgin olive oil and other really delicious products. Frank is known as a wonderful gentleman and a legend in so many fields. He has served the automotive industry with distinction as Motor Trade Association president and chairman for many years.

The winner of the Young Achiever Award was Marco Petta. I was particularly honoured to present the Young Achiever Award this year to the ever-energetic Marco Petta, general manager of Radio Italiana 531. Marco has certainly made an incredible impact through his role at Radio Italiana 531, working tirelessly to develop partnerships with major Italian national media outlets, engaging young people and students in the station and its programs, restructuring Radio Italiana and developing 50 new community programs between 2021 and 2024.

All these award winners have shown outstanding dedication, passion and a longstanding commitment to the Italian Australian community and have made exceptional contributions to the cultural, social and multicultural landscape of South Australia.

Congratulations to Marco and all the well-deserving winners and I thank you all for your wonderful contribution to our community. It is so important that today we reflect on and pay tribute to the proud history and incredible achievements of a foundational organisation such as the South Australian Italian Association.

On the night, Dr Phillip Donato provided a special tribute to acknowledge many pioneering women of SAIA. He made a moving speech where he honoured the many incredible Italian women who have been the quiet and yet resolute force behind the Italian community. These women carried the weight of traditions, families and community with grace, whether in positions of leadership organising events, fostering connections, or simply extending a helping hand whenever needed, often working in the background seamlessly making things happen.

It was wonderful to watch a video with a long list of trailblazing women and to honour so many amazing Italian women behind the success of SAIA. For more than seven decades, SAIA has been the community hub and a second home for all in the Italian community of South Australia.

Thank you once again to all the community leaders, volunteers and supporters for their tireless efforts and long-term commitment to connecting South Australian Italians to their cultural heritage and delivering 75 years of dedicated service to the Italian community in South Australia and the broader multicultural community. Once again, it is a great honour to move this particular motion to acknowledge the 75^th anniversary milestone and wish SAIA a much brighter, much happier future ahead for many more years to come. With those words, I commend the motion.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (The Hon. R.B. Martin): I call upon the Hon. Mr Frank Pangallo.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (21:32): Thank you very much, Mr Acting President, and congratulations on your birthday. Seeing as we are on the topic of Italian here, we might just christen you for the evening as Reginaldo Martini, or something, or Martino.

I would like to thank the Hon. Jing Lee for moving this motion on the 75^th anniversary of the South Australian Italian Association. She has basically taken a lot of the wind out of my sails of what I was going to say, she is so well researched in her speech regarding the South Australian Italian Association.

Incredibly, this afternoon I was going through the books on my shelf and I found the book known as La seconda casa (The second home), which was written by Dr Daniela Cosmini and Professor Diana Glenn. It is a magnificent piece of work on the history of the South Australian Italian Association and also Italian culture in South Australia. I spoke about that five years ago, when I moved a motion celebrating SAIA's 70^th anniversary, and I cannot believe how quickly time has flown in that period.

But having a look at that book, it is quite an impressive piece of literature, focusing on the history of the Italian diaspora in South Australia. Flicking through it and seeing a lot of the photographs bore home to me the enormous contributions that Italo-Australians have made to this state and this country.

There are something like more than a million Australians, nearly 4 per cent of the population, who identify as Italian, which is a significant number: 4 per cent of the population. I think in South Australia alone there are probably 150,000. I reckon there is more, and a lot of them want to identify as Italian who may not be, but there are so many of them. You only need to walk around the city or around the state just to see the contributions that have been made by Italians since the postwar immigration boom.

My family are one of those that made the trip in 1952; that is when my family came out here. My mum came out with my two brothers. They were only quite young then, Dominic and Patrick. Incredibly, to give you an idea of the resilience of Italians, I will share this story about my own family. My uncle Frank Violi and my grandfather Pasquale Mittiga came to Australia before the war and during the depression years, and they worked in the cane fields of Queensland and elsewhere.

My grandfather and my uncle had left their family back in Calabria when my mother was just a baby. She did not even know her father when they came out here. Then, of course, the war broke out and many Italians and Japanese and also Germans were interned at the Loveday Internment Camp in the Riverland, and they were there for the duration of the war. Then, of course, in the postwar boom many Europeans made their way to Australia, leaving war-torn Europe to make a new life in Australia, to try to rebuild their lives and their families and also, of course, help rebuild Australia, which needed a lot of assistance at the time.

My own mother found herself having to reconnect not only with her father but also her brother-in-law, as it turned out later on, and at the same time my grandmother had also had to reconnect with her husband after more than 20 years. It is just an incredible thing to comprehend. But she was not alone: there would have been so many Europeans in that position. They had come here to try to create a new life for their families. They were sending money back to Italy and looking forward to the day they would be reunited in Australia.

Of course, from there our family grew, and many more of our relatives came out. I lived in the western suburbs; I grew up there. I was born in Mile End. We started to see the first seeds of multiculturalism sewn in South Australia. Of course, it was not just the Italians. It was also the Greeks, the Poles, the Hungarians, the Bulgarians who were here. We had these new communities that were establishing themselves.

When I was reading the book I also came across this fact, which I have spoken about before: Australia's White Australia policy. This policy was introduced by governments before the war, and it was not until well after the war that it was lifted. It was not only about shutting the borders of Australia to people of colour, they were described as 'less desirables' from southern European countries like Italy, Greece and Malta. You have to assume that what they did not want in this country was peasant stock. I guess it was probably Australia's version of 'the deplorables'.

They did not want them here; they wanted probably more educated Anglo-Saxons. Fortunately, that all changed after the war, and there was financial assistance from the commonwealth to get those 'undesirables' here. They came to our shores in huge waves. As I said, we have seen large pockets grow around Adelaide. I grew up in the western suburbs, and you will find a large number of Italians in the western suburbs at places like Mile End, Torrensville, Henley Beach, Fulham, whatever. Of course, in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, we have Campbelltown, Hectorville and around there.

Those pockets grew up because at that time when they came to Australia, because they had no ability to learn the English language, the migrants could not do anything else but stick together in their own communities. As a result of that, they went out and found work in various fields in factories. A lot of them were skilled in construction: bricklayers, tilers, electricians, plumbers. There were skilled labourers, farmers as well, who worked in horticulture. From there, we saw South Australia's economy and the Australian economy grow. Many went to work in New South Wales, particularly in the hydro scheme in the Snowy Mountains.

As a result of this influx of European influence, of course, we have seen changes in our cuisine. We have seen the influx of coffee and certainly cafes. When I was a young lad, there was only one place in the city you could buy an espresso coffee, and that was on Hindley Street. I am talking going back nearly 60 years. How much that has changed now. The Italian influence is so strong in our lifestyle and also what we enjoy.

The hub for all this activity amongst the Italians was always the South Australian Italian Association on Carrington Street. That was a popular meeting place. That was where people would go to engage with people from their own country or from their own regions. That was where people would probably have met their husbands or wives as a result of that.

It became a popular place for generations afterwards, including myself when I was a young man in the seventies. They would often have discos on a Sunday night. After we had gone around the pubs and nightclubs of Adelaide like Bogart's and the Old Lion or whatever, we would always find ourselves going to the Italian club on Sunday night for a bit of entertainment. Again, a lot of my friends met their wives there. It was a popular venue amongst young people of European origin and particularly Italians.

I think the other popular attraction of the Italian club was their Friday lunches at the centre. They were really well attended, and not just by Italians: they were a must. The main room would always be packed to the rafters, not just for the fine food but the guest speakers who turned up there. Among them were Don Dunstan, Gough Whitlam, Sir Donald Bradman, Malcolm Fraser, John Howard. We have seen a pantheon of sporting stars and soccer greats who have attended there. In fact, recently at the Italian club, SAIA, there was an event for Fabio Cannavaro, the captain of the 2006 Italian World Cup team. It was a huge turnout for that. Of course, Formula One legends often went there, particularly the Ferrari team, when Adelaide hosted the Formula One.

The Italian Association continues its strong engagement with the community. Of course, we know, as the Hon. Jing Lee pointed out, it assists so many causes as well. She mentioned and gave acknowledgement to Dr Phillip Donato. I will certainly acknowledge the incredible work that Phillip has done in recent years at the South Australian Italian Association. There was a period a few years ago when things were a bit rocky at the South Australian Italian Association. Others had come in and started to turn the place around, and among them was Phillip Donato. Now he has a very enthusiastic team behind him that continues to keep that place an active centre for Italian Australians and also for business and other events.

Before I get onto the SAIA Excellence Awards, I just want to acknowledge the Malinauskas government, because five years ago I was talking about the issue that Italian language courses at Flinders University were under threat. The Malinauskas government has now continued funding for that to continue and to keep the language and the culture alive there.

In closing, I would also like to acknowledge the recipients of the excellence awards for their extraordinary achievements. I was just amazed at the array of people who were there that night, not just those who won the awards but many who were in attendance, who are very successful in their line of work and organisations that they represent. It made me feel proud to be one of them, actually.

Again, I acknowledge those winners that the Hon. Jing Lee mentioned. I will not go into them, but they have been successful in a wide range of fields, in business, agriculture, science, medicine and media. The winners also included Antonio 'Tony' Virgara, who just happens to be a very close friend of our family. I have known Tony for as long as I can remember. He and his father and my father emigrated from the same village in Calabria. They were very close friends. The Virgaras are a huge family. They have been very successful in Angle Vale, and it was terrific to see Tony win the award for small business. He has built that winery up to be a very successful business with sought-after wine, and it continues to be that way there. The Virgara family were also involved heavily in the potato business for years. They supplied exclusively their potatoes to Smith's crisps.

Also, as the Hon. Jing Lee mentioned, Professor John Beltrame AM won an award for his outstanding research work in cardiac medicine. He was also given a Heart Foundation award several months ago for the work that he has done. She mentioned Pat Scalzi—he is a legend of course and an iconic figure in the community—who won the community award. Everyone knows just what a generous man Pat is. Of course, he is the brother of a former member of this place, Joe Scalzi. I mentioned him in my speech about the bill I introduced.

Frank Agostino was recognised for his contribution and won the Large Business Award. I do not need to say any more about Frank than what we have already said tonight, except that he is an absolute icon of industry in this state. There was Claudia Callisto, of course—she is an author and a Fringe artist—and Marco Petta, who was nominated as the Young Achiever of the year.

The Hon. R.A. Simms interjecting:

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Marco Petta. Do you know him, the Hon. Rob Simms?

The Hon. R.A. Simms interjecting:

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Well, you should. Actually, you did meet him. You met him at the Italian Festival, when you were there that day. He was there. He is a very enthusiastic manager of the radio station, Radio Italiana. It was terrific to see Marco's work in this state and with the radio station recognised.

As I said, SAIA plays an important part in celebrating Italian culture, and it has also been heavily involved in the resurgence and recent success of the Italian Festival. With that, I congratulate SAIA, and the honourable member for bringing it to our attention; SAIA for their 75^th anniversary. I think, as we say in Italian, 'cent'anni', which means we want to see it hit 100 years.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (21:51): I rise briefly to speak in support of the Hon. Jing Lee's motion. I too would like to congratulate the South Australian Italian Association on its remarkable 75^th anniversary in 2024. This milestone showcases its rich history and role as a central hub committed to safeguarding and celebrating Italian culture, traditions and initiatives in collaboration with the wider Italian community of South Australia.

The SAIA's legacy rests on the foresight and dedication of its founding members, complemented by the remarkable contributions of community leaders, past and current presidents, committee members, volunteers and supporters. Their unwavering commitment has sustained the SAIA's service to the Italian community, enhancing the richness of South Australia's multicultural fabric.

Notably, the SAIA has established the prestigious SAIA Excellence Awards, a program celebrating the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organisations while promoting the Italian South Australian heritage. These awards stand as a testament to the SAIA's commitment to honouring the accomplishments of its members and fostering the next generation of leaders within the South Australian Italian community.

Finally, the SAIA's vision continues to connect South Australian Italians with their cultural roots by fostering strong cultural and business ties between South Australia and Italy. The SAIA has become a central force in maintaining and advancing the Italian community's heritage, creating a legacy of unity, pride and service that will inspire generations to come.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.