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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-05 Daily Xml
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UNIFICATION OF ITALY

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (11:41): I move:

That this house sends a message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Italy on the occasion of the 150th celebrations to mark the unification of Italy on 17 March 1861.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. The unification was a protracted chain of political and military events from the Congress of Vienna in 1815, following the defeat of Napoleon, culminating in a united Italian peninsula called the 'Kingdom of Italy' under King Victor Emmanuel II in 1861.

These events can be categorised in five stages: pre-revolutionary, revolutionary, the Camillo di Cavour policy, the role of Piedmont, Giuseppe Garibaldi's campaign in Southern Italy and, ultimately, the creation of the Italian kingdom.

During the first half of the 19th century, the cause for unification was confined to aristocrats, intellectuals and the upper middle class. Initially, the masses showed little concern. Nevertheless, people with a passion for unification started to form secret societies, most notably the Carbonari. Although at first they only demanded more rights from their respective government, the cause began to gain momentum. By 1820 the Carbonari were involved in numerous failed revolutions against the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, the Kingdom of Sardinia, Bologna and other Italian states.

The soul and spirit of the Carbonari and the revolutions was Giuseppe Mazzini. Mazzini's vision was for a united Italy with a republican form of government. In 1831 Mazzini brought the campaign for unification into the mainstream when he created 'Young Italy' to spread the ideas of unification, revolutions and republicanism. In 1846 a liberal pope, Pius IX, was elected, who enacted numerous reforms. Shortly thereafter, other states followed, but these reform movements were not enough. A series of uprisings, known as the Revolution of 1848, occurred throughout Europe, including France, Germany, the Austrian Empire and Northern Italy.

The revolution also occurred in the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, where the King signed a constitution. In the Papal States, radicals took over Rome, causing the pope to flee. In the absence of the pope, Garibaldi and Mazzini created the republic called the Roman Republic.

In 1852, Camillo di Cavour became Prime Minister of the Piedmont, the Kingdom of Sardinia, and by leveraging personalities, pitting great powers against each other, war and political cunning, Cavour was able to unite Italy in a short time.

Although Piedmont was a small state, it had considerable influence based on military strength, conservative philosophy and admirable political leadership. In addition, Victor Emmanuel ruled in conjunction with the parliament, thus establishing a legitimate stable form of government and not giving cause to an internal revolution.

The main enforcer in Southern Italy was Giuseppe Garibaldi, who is revered as a national hero and admired for his skill at rousing the common people, combined with his military conquests, which made the unification of Italy possible.

In his 20s, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and afterwards returned to Italy as a commander in the conflicts of the Risorgimento.

Interestingly, while exiled in Peru, he captained a clipper, the trading vessel Carmen, to the Far East and returned to Lima via Australia and New Zealand in 1852-3. Garibaldi sailed through Bass Strait in 1852 and visited Three Hummock Island which sits off the coast of north-west Tasmania. During the latter part of the 19th century Garibaldi was admired by Australian colonial liberals, as he represented for them the strong points of contemporary Italian society—that is, a democratic impulse, with cultural traditions and scientific prowess. In fact, his son, Ricciotti Garibaldi, lived in Melbourne from 1874 to 1881.

Ms Bedford interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: My Italian pronunciation is not good because I am a southern Italian. In 1860—

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: I am not an imposter, no.

Mr Gardner: You should get the member for Unley to give you some lessons.

Mr PICCOLO: No, he is not a real Italian: he is a northerner. In 1860—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The member for Light was reflecting on the member for Unley—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: He was reflecting upon whom?

Ms CHAPMAN: —in a most adverse and unpleasant manner.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, he was reflecting upon whom?

Ms CHAPMAN: The member for Unley.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No!

Ms CHAPMAN: Indeed. On Mr David Pisoni in most unparliamentary manner. It was reflection on a member: disparaging about his northern Italian descent.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Would you like to withdraw that, member for Light? I will be quite honest: I did not hear that, but that is because I was engaged in discussion.

Mr PICCOLO: Madam Deputy Speaker, I am not sure if the point of order is as tongue-in-cheek as my comment was, but the fact remains that I was born in Italy, the member for Unley was not. I rest my case.

Mr Pengilly: How do you know?

Mr PICCOLO: He said so.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just to make things easier, member for Light—

Mr GRIFFITHS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I do understand the reply from the member for Light, but very clearly I heard that he reflected that people from northern Italy are not real Italians. That was the intent that I took from his words.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. So that would be casting a reflection upon the member?

Mr GRIFFITHS: Upon the member for Unley in saying that his family—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: But on all the northern Italians.

Mr GRIFFITHS: —is from northern Italy, and indeed upon all people from northern Italy.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Goyder. Member for Light, would you like to explain?

Mr PICCOLO: I would. I am happy to explain it. Madam Deputy Speaker, it actually takes a person with an Italian background to understand the rivalry between the north and the south, and we continuously throw barbs at each other without offence.

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: I said 'Italian origin'. Anyway, I do not have any problem with what I said, and I am sure the member for Unley would not have any problem either because he often refers to southerners in an equally disparaging way.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Member for Light, I have been advised by the learned colleagues that, in fact, it was not unparliamentary. It is perhaps for the member for Unley to come in and make some sort of objection to this statement. However, that aside—

Mr GRIFFITHS: A point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I haven't finished speaking yet. That aside, member for Light, so that we can get on with this most interesting motion, perhaps it would be a good idea to withdraw any intent to offend those of northern Italian descent.

Mr PICCOLO: I do, Madam Deputy Speaker.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excellent! Marvellous work. Let us carry on.

Mr PICCOLO: Having said that, this motion is an important one which hopefully we can get back on track. In 1860, General Garibaldi landed in Sicily with his famous 1,000 volunteers, determined to March on Rome and liberate the city. After a brutal battle on the Volturno River, he held plebiscites in Sicily and Naples, and then gave the whole of southern Italy to Cavour, proclaiming Victor Emmanuel king of a united nation.

The unification efforts of much of the 19thcentury were ultimately realised in 1870 when, during the Franco-Prussian war, France abandoned its positions in Rome in order to keep the large Prussian Army at bay. Italy benefited from Prussia's victory against France by being able to take over the papal state from the French authorities. Italian unification was completed and, shortly after, the capital was moved to Rome. Rome itself remained under the papacy for a decade and became part of the kingdom of Italy on 20 September 1870, which is the final date of Italian unification.

Since 1861, Italy has made its mark as a significant nation with a population now nearing 60 million people. The Italian economy has evolved since the end of World War II. From an agriculture-based economy, Italy has developed into an industrial state ranked as the world's seventh-largest economy. It is a member of the European Union, the OECD and the G8 and G20 economic forums. Italy is ranked sixth among OECD countries and fourth among European countries for gross domestic product.

Italy has always been a cultural centre, with iconic cities like Rome where ancient landmarks meld with the present, and Venice, which is crisscrossed with gondola-lined canals. The art and science of the Renaissance remains buoyant and visible in Florence while the Vatican City's Sistine Chapel still attracts an endless line of visitors to see Michelangelo's brushstrokes which adorn the ceiling. Italy is a fashion industry icon. In the 1950s—

Ms Chapman: In the north.

Mr PICCOLO: Madam Deputy Speaker, I take offence at that.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Light, I will say this: you may well take offence at that; however, you did, most unfortunately, respond to an interjection by the member for Bragg, which you are not really meant to do.

Mr PICCOLO: I should ignore her, shouldn't I?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well, yes.

Mr PICCOLO: Yes, I should; you are quite right, Madam Deputy Speaker. I will just note for the record that the member for Bragg has insulted all southern Italians. Italy is a fashion industry icon. In the 1950s, Italian designers such as Nino Cerruti and Valentino led the world in creating stylish fashions. Additionally, Armani, Versace, Gucci and Prada have become internationally recognised.

Australia and Italy enjoy a warm and long-standing relationship, underpinned by strong community ties. Trade and investment and the development of cultural and educational links continue to grow. According to the 2006 Census, 852,418 Australians claimed Italian ancestry, with 199,124 Australian residents having been born in Italy. At least 30,000 Australians currently live in Italy. Italy also has a special relationship with South Australia. The Italian peninsula is an important link into Europe for our state, and South Australia would like to become a strategic hub for Italy in the Asia-Pacific region. The Australian government is committed to its engagement with Italy, and has been since former premier John Bannon signed the first MOU with the Campania region—which is a great southern region of Italy—

Ms Bedford: In my area.

Mr PICCOLO: And mine as well—in the 1980s. Since then, MOUs have created joint scientific research projects in areas such as photonics, water management, robotics, intelligent transport systems and satellites. In the year to July 2010, South Australian exports to Italy were $18 million, with imports from the food and fashion industries totalling $162 million. From 1861 to 1985, more than 26 million people of Italian origin have emigrated across the world, and I am proud to say that I am one of those, coming to Australia in 1963.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: Sorry? I did not hear what you said.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is because you do not react to interjections. Just carry on, Member for Light.

Mr PICCOLO: While I was honoured to be granted Australian citizenship in 1979, I am nevertheless proud to acknowledge my Italian heritage, and I continue to celebrate it through my work as the inaugural national convener of the Forum of Italo-Australian Parliamentarians. I wish to take this opportunity to convey my message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Italy on this special occasion, and I seek the support of the house.

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (11:55): I rise to support the motion that the house sends a message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Italy on the occasion of the 150th celebration to mark the unification of Italy on 17 March 1861. This is an important milestone of very great nation.

I do not think that it is widely known that before 1861, Italy did not exist as a nation-state according to its modern incarnation. Prior to this time, individual states or regions had their own discrete identity, customs, food and culture. Naturally this persists today. I have been fortunate enough to spend much time during my working career in Italy, both in terms of purchasing manufacturing equipment from the north of Italy and then most recently with Michells, that iconic South Australian wool exporter. Our office was in Treviso, a very beautiful part of Italy, which has a long history in the textiles industry.

I have always been impressed with the ability of Italy to maintain the individuality of its regions. When we think of fashion, we think of the Milan area. When we think of textiles, we think of Biella and Prato, and manufacturing equipment up towards Bassano del Grappa. With Rome, of course, we think of the great history of the world—Pax Romana—and my favourite part of Italy, the Marche region, which is famous for the olive ascolane.

Italy is very fortunate to preserve this individuality whilst combining all of these regions to achieve one of the most advanced and modern democracies in the world today. South Australia is very fortunate to have a significant number of Italians living here and we benefit from that most substantially. I, myself, am very grateful to be the member for Norwood where we have a significant number of Italians living in our area. I have four Italian clubs in my area: the Altavilla Irpina Sports and Social Club, the Inter-Italia Sports and Social Club on Sydenham Road, the Sicilia Club, and the San Giorgio La Molara Club.

I would also like to announce to the house today that the Acting Consul of Italy in South Australia, Orietta Borgia, will be hosting a special gala event at the Hilton Hotel on 25 June 2011. This is being held specifically to celebrate the 150th year of unification of Italy. It is being run in conjunction with CIC, the Coordinating Italian Committee, and was put forward by the President, Angelo Fantasia. It is an excellent initiative to commemorate this incredible milestone, and I certainly support the mover with this important motion.

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (11:59): I rise to indicate my support for the member for Light in sending this message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Italy. It is important that we also recognise on this occasion, and in sending this message to the President, that in Australia, we appreciate the significant change in Italy. In sending our congratulations to the President, we should also recognise the important decision that has been made in Italy in recent times about how they are going to provide energy for their country. Notwithstanding I think a nearly 20-year ban on the use of nuclear power in Italy, they have decided to overturn that ban and introduce nuclear power as a power source for their country. As we know, across Europe there has been a high dependence in many countries on the use of nuclear power.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

Ms CHAPMAN: This is to do with Italy and the decision that they have made. I think the mover of the motion is concerned that the motion only be of congratulations for the celebrations to mark the unification, as everything should be seated back in 1861, and I am concerned that he should have that view because this is a momentous decision for Italy to have made. For all the reasons referred to in his motion, it is necessary to continue the industry to provide the energy and power sources. I wish to also convey to the President congratulations to him on ensuring that their country will be able to continue to move forward and enabling their country to be able to fulfil the fruits of the history that they have enjoyed in the last 150 years. I wish them well in that endeavour.

Mr PICCOLO: I have a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The member for Bragg indicated that this is a motion to the President, not the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is head of government and the President is head of state. He would not get involved in nuclear power policy.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think we all know who Mr Berlusconi is. The member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (12:02): It gives me great pleasure to support this motion that this house sends a message of congratulations to the President of the Republic of Italy on the occasion of the 150th celebrations to mark the unification of Italy on 17 March 1861.

Indeed, Italy's is a great, rich, deep and longstanding culture, and one that adds a great deal to our community here in South Australia today, for reasons that others have mentioned. It does seem, however, somewhat strange to be talking about the 150th celebrations of a country which has built on the culture of a civilisation that goes back more than 2,700 years. Those members who have not known me for longer than my time in this house might be interested to know that my first interest before politics was in the study of classical history and, in particular, the Roman empire and its antecedents.

I was always interested in the tales of Aeneas fleeing Troy in 1182 BC and he and his descendants founding the city of Alba Longa, some of whose denizens, Romulus and Remus, ended up founding the city of Rome in 753 BC. The discussions between the members for Bragg and Light left me thinking about the constant wars, the going back and forth between the citizens of Rome and the citizens of Veii, or the Romans and the Marsi and the Sabines. So, I understand where the member for Light was coming from in his good-natured banter with the member for Unley; nevertheless, I maintain he was wrong.

The Italians in Australia are a significant group. In South Australia, we are privileged to have over 100,000 South Australians who identify as being of Italian heritage. As the member for Light pointed out, 30,000 Australians are in Italy. In Morialta, in particular, I am very happy to represent an area that has so many people of this background. I think that the last census data indicated a figure of something like 9,000 South Australians whose grandparents were born in Italy (many of whom, of course, themselves would have been born in Italy) living in the seat of Morialta.

While the member for Norwood laid claim to those four famous Italian clubs in his electorate, I am very proud to have the Marche Club in my electorate, which hosts a great number of cultural functions and which provides great services and support for that community.

The level to which the Italian culture is adding to our culture in Australia and melding with that culture in South Australia really came home to me on ANZAC Day. After I was finished with the dawn service and the things that go along with that in Magill, my next function I went to later that day was, of course, at the Campania Club in the seat of Florey, where I was pleased to be with the member for Florey, the member for Norwood and some members of the other place as we celebrated the opening of the new bocce courts at that club, together with several hundred members of that South Australian Italian community.

It was a fantastic barbecue and a fantastic day. It was not the way in which I expected to spend my ANZAC Day, but it certainly added a great deal to my day before I headed to the footy. I should also point out that, in addition to the significant function that the member for Norwood talked about that is coming up, the Acting Consul—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

Mr GARDNER: The footy game was the traditional ANZAC Day clash: the grand final replay at the Adelaide Oval, which very, very sadly—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: The doggies were too good for you!

Mr GARDNER: —Central District defeated the mighty Redlegs.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, Ma'am.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: A point of order—

Mr GARDNER: And then—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Excuse me, member for Morialta. A point of order, member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: The member for Morialta is actively supporting the member for Light's motion, and he is getting constant interjections from the member for Croydon and the member for Light when he is actually trying to assist the member for Light and his motion.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I would take that point of order a little more seriously if, during the initial motion, you yourself had not been quite so vocal. So, one in the glasshouse should not cast the stone, etc. Thank you. The member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. We are all enjoying the opportunity to encourage each other in this debate on this important motion. I just wanted to draw the attention of members, particularly those who do not have anything in their diaries yet on 2 June, to the Festa della Repubblica that will be celebrated at the Fogolar Furlan club in—

Mr Piccolo: Felixstow.

Mr GARDNER: —Felixstow, thank you—with the Acting Consul Orietta Borgia. I think it is worth noting that it is unfortunate at the moment that we have an Acting Consul rather than an official Consul of Italy in South Australia. I hope that this motion will actually go some way towards prompting those in decision-making positions in the Republic of Italy to encourage them to reaffirm the position of the Consulate of Italy in South Australia, so that the work that Orietta Borgia (and Dottor Tomasso Coniglio before her) and all those consuls do to support the excellent South Australian/Italian community, particularly those who need services from the consulate.

I know particularly that Ms Sara Potenza and the Acting Consul, Orietta Borgia, do a fantastic job, and what our community would really like is confirmation that their services will continue and that our South Australian/Italian community will not be required to seek consular assistance from Melbourne or Sydney.

We have 100,000 South Australians of Italian heritage, and I would hope that this excellent motion supporting excellent relations between South Australia and Italy on the occasion of its 150th anniversary celebrations will contribute to some positive outcome for that community. I urge all members to support the motion.

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (12:09): I was not going to participate in this debate, but I have been inspired to do so by the member for Bragg. I want to note some of the achievements of the Italian nation since it has been unified, and also to thank the Italian community in South Australia for the difference that they have made to our way of life.

I think that people, when talking about Italians in South Australia, will immediately recognise the huge contribution that has been made to our culinary life. I understand that there was a survey not very long ago in which young people decided that the national dish of Australia was spaghetti bolognese. Of course, in my youth there was no such thing as spaghetti bolognese. I do remember the first time my mother decided she would make it: it included garlic, which I had never really tasted before, and sultanas, which I do not think are traditional in the Italian version. It was very aromatic in a way that I had not previously experienced, and it left interesting tastes behind in a way that I had not previously experienced.

There is no doubt that the Italian community has changed the way we eat in Australia. It has changed the vegetables that are grown, it has changed our approach to eating, in that we now eat on pavements. When I first went to Europe and saw people eating on the footpath, I thought, 'Poor people—can't they afford a house?' Now we complain about the fact that we are not always able to eat in comfort on footpaths because of people who are smoking—but that is a separate argument.

Another way in which I think the Italian community has changed the way many of us live in South Australia is how we mark deaths in our family. The first time I saw a photo of somebody in the death column in The Advertiser, I thought what strange people they were to put a photo of their loved one in a very comprehensive death notice. Having an Irish Catholic background, our notices were very short, very sharp, and we could not afford too many lines in any case—we could not afford too many lines in the birth notices, even less so in that situation.

The way the Italian families marked somebody's death was quite different from what we had done. As we started seeing crosses along the side of the road to mark the place of a road death, my understanding was that it was something that also came from the Italian community and to some extent, I think, from the Greek community, but it seemed to be a very Mediterranean practice. Now it is common practice in Australia to mark deaths with a memorial at the side of the road. There is debate about whether this is good or not, but there is no doubt that the Italian community has changed the way we see death, and it is quite common for photos to be included in death notices. Another issue was the inclusion by the Italian community of the one-year notice, and again that is something that, with my Irish Catholic background, I had never previously seen, but now it is adopted by many people, not just the people with Italian backgrounds in our community.

I also want to note a particular achievement of the Italian government that has long gladdened my heart, and that is the fact that, while Australia has only just got a system of paid maternity leave, the Italian people have, on a rough recollection on my part, had paid maternity leave for at least 15 years. I have been arguing for paid maternity leave for more than 15 years, and it is my recollection that for at least that amount of time I have been able to cite Italy as one of the countries that provides that freedom to women.

I think it might also surprise people to know that the Italian workforce is not as gender-segmented as the Australian workforce; in other words, women are represented in a far wider range of jobs to a far greater extent than in Australia. The Italian nation, as a unified nation for the last 150 years, has indeed been able to produce progressive outcomes for its citizens, and I think that over here we often see it as far more conservative than it actually is, particularly from the perspective of the role of women in the workforce and in the community. I am very happy to join with others in sending congratulations to the Italian President on the celebration of their 150 years as a modern nation.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (12:14): It is my great pleasure to add my comments to this motion, and in doing so I would like to congratulate the member for Light on his very hard work in establishing the Italo-Australian MPs forum. It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved with this group and meet MPs all over Australia and share with them constructive work, especially in the areas of retaining the Italian language here in Australia and in work with aged care. As we have heard, there are a great number of Italian people in Australia, people of Italian origin, and their care of their older family members is something we could all take a lesson from.

In my own particular case, some people may wonder why I am even involved with that forum but my mother was born in Australia, from Italian parents who came here in the early 1920s in the first wave of Italian migration. In a great sadness for me, my mother passed away when we were little so I have no language which is why I am so particularly interested in the retention of the Italian language, although I must say I have only got up to disc 5 in the car and I am not doing terribly well.

That does not mean that I am going to give in, however. I do a lot of travelling in the car, so one day I may get past disc 5 but I understand you have to practise the language so I am very keen to be absorbing as much of the Italian culture as I can, which I am able to do in my own electorate of Florey because the Campania Club is located there. I have watched it grow from a small building to a very large building and now an even larger building, as was mentioned by the member for Morialta, when he and the member for Norwood and other members were involved in the festivities to open the new bocce courts.

The members of the Campania Club are to be commended for their very hard work in making sure there is a place for Italian people to come together for very large functions. Although many members of their club come from other electorates, I am always made very welcome and I can attest that the food is fantastic. I urge all members to have a think about going there. They have a community pizza night and I can certainly attest to the value of that evening.

In closing, I would just like to mention that on behalf of the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, I attended a service on Sunday with the Italian community in the church on Marian Road, where the cemetery is, to remember the Italian military people who were lost in the battles for Italy. I attended a luncheon afterwards at the Fogolar Furlan Club on Briar Road. It was a very moving service and many of the people there had lost relatives in the conflicts they were remembering. I again commend the motion and thank all the Italian people who have given so much to the culture of Australia and know our messages of goodwill will travel overseas.

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (12:17): I also rise to support this motion and to pass on my very best wishes to the President of the Republic of Italy and to all Italians—Italians who live in Italy and those who have moved to South Australia and their descendants. As the father of a son who is a quarter Italian, I see that it is great the way South Australia is a multicultural society and that so many great things from so many different countries have been brought together to the mix of what we love about South Australia, and that is, the multiculturalism.

I was in Turin late last year. Turin was the original capital of the Italian Republic, and they were already gearing up for their big 150th anniversary celebrations then. There were big rallies out in the square and all the political parties—of course, Italy is famous for its many and diverse political parties—were all out there with their little stalls. I found it fascinating to get around and listen to different points of view and to see the pride that the city of Turin took in its place in history as being the first capital of the Republic of Italy.

South Australia has a very close link, of course, with the city of Turin given that Colonel William Light lived in Turin before he came to Adelaide. When you go to Turin, you see that it is a city laid out in a grid formation with squares and parks, and it was the inspiration of Turin that was involved in Colonel William Light's plans for the city of Adelaide, and that is why we have a city with its squares and its grid formation.

In the electorate of Mawson we have a very strong Italian community and I was very pleased to inform the Italian community and the wider community of McLaren Vale, just a week or so ago, that the government is putting in even more money to the Piazza della Valle, which is a public space in the main street of McLaren Vale. Last year the government tipped in $750,000 and there is another couple of hundred thousand going in out of the Places for People funding which is a fund that developers pay into if they do not meet the minimum requirement of open space in development. The money is then taken out of that fund and used for places that people can enjoy.

In the main street of McLaren Vale we are going to have a beautiful square, and it will be for everyone in McLaren Vale and for the tens of thousands of tourists and visitors who come to our area each year to enjoy. It is also a tribute to the Italians who came and planted the vines, grew the grapes and helped to pioneer the wine industry in our part of the world.

I was at the bocce club last Saturday night. On the last Saturday of every month they have a pasta night down there. I was a little disappointed that it was not a piano accordion karaoke night; sometimes they have that, and it is fantastic to have the man going around with the piano accordion, and we all jump in and sing Hello Dolly and some great old favourites like that.

Members interjecting:

Mr BIGNELL: I tell you, we are multicultural. We are multicultural, member for Fisher. It is fantastic. I want to thank people like Vicki Vasarelli, and Joe and John Petrucci, great stalwarts of the Italian community in McLaren Vale, for keeping it alive. I also thank everyone who has been involved in the committee to get the Piazza della Valle going. It has taken a lot of work. It started out as a very small concept, and no-one was sure where it would go. The group, which includes Vicki Osland, Richard Bennett, Vicki Vasarelli, the Petruccis, the Scarpantonis, and many other families and individuals, has worked tirelessly over the last four or five years. So, we are really looking forward to having that piazza opened later in the year.

I am sure that when the President of the Republic of Italy reads all these comments he will be very impressed to know how much that little bit of Italy permeates through our entire society here in South Australia. I know that most members could get up and talk about some sort of connection that their part of South Australia has with Italy. It is something we are all very proud of. I wish Italy the very best for its 150th anniversary, and I commend the member for Light for his tireless work in recognising Italy's contribution to South Australia.

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (12:22): I would like to thank all members who have made a contribution to this motion. I hope our debate today has helped our community get a better understanding of Italy's history. I make a small correction, member for Mawson: the Republic of Italy was formed in 1946, it was the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, when we threw out the monarch after World War II. One day we may have the same thing in this country.

I would like to thank members for their contributions, including the member for Croydon—not always helpful, but I would like to thank him for his contribution.

Motion carried.

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