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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-04 Daily Xml
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Campania Sports and Social Club

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (12:43): I move:

That this house—

(a) recognises that 2015 is the 40th anniversary of the Campania Sports and Social Club;

(b) acknowledges the wonderful work that this club has done over the years in the promotion of Italian culture, food, language and support of Italian Australians and the broader community; and

(c) pays tribute to the activities of this club, and others like it, which enrich the life of our state as a whole and contribute to a better and more diverse South Australia.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Campania Sports and Social Club. On Saturday 20 June, I and many members in this place will have the pleasure and honour to attend a fun day at the Campania club to celebrate its 40th birthday. We will assemble at the Benevento hall and be welcomed by Cavaliere John DiFede and Steve Maglieri, who is president of the 40th anniversary committee. We will hear from a number of dignitaries, especially the president of the Campania club, Roberto Corsini. I want to thank Roberto for the wonderful work that both he and the committee have done not only this year but also in the years before, especially the original founders of the committee.

Migrants from the Campania region maintain their local and regional identity through clubs like this, through clubs they have established. It is a very special club. Many members may have visited the club in the past, perhaps just for a pizza or a bowl of tagliatelle, fusilli, orecchiette or any other wonderful pasta that they serve. But, it is not just about the food, it is also a meeting place—there are many halls there. The club is a successful club, and it has opened its arms to the wider, broader Australian community so that they may also share in it. It also features a wonderful library. The library is important because they keep so much of our history.

The Hon. A. Piccolo: And who funded it?

Mr TARZIA: Absolutely, and governments, of both sides, in a bipartisan manner have over the years contributed to the club, and I do appreciate and thank them for that. Language classes have also been undertaken at the club as well.

I wanted to talk a little about the Campania migrant story to Australia and South Australia particularly. When you look at the estimated resident population of Australia as at 30 June 2014 with regard to Italy, it said that we have about 1 per cent of Australia's population. It said that 201,800 people born in Italy were in Australia as at 30 June 2014. When you look at the estimated resident population of South Australia, as of 2011, it said that still in South Australia alone there were 22,100 who were born in Italy.

From Campania, obviously migrants came from an array of towns and villages, namely: originally Benevento, where there were 6,315 migrants; Avellino, where there were 2,522; Napoli (of course, we like the Napolitano) 570; Salerno, 379; and, Caserta, 359. Members will note that an array of clubs from this region have since set up, not just the Campania Club but a range of other clubs in the region, namely, San Giorgio La Molara, the Molinara Club, the Altavilla Club, and, close enough, but a little bit into another region, Le Marche Club and Fogolar Furlan up north. It is a wonderful migrant story that we have these clubs here in South Australia that promote their regions, their origins, so that future South Australians can share in that proud migrant heritage.

From the viewpoint of regional origins, it is said the highest ranked, in terms of comparative percentage of birth place of South Australia's Italo-Australians, is: Campania, 27.9 per cent; followed by Calabria, 23.5 per cent; Veneto, 10.5 per cent; and Abruzzo, 8.6 per cent. I wanted to quote some of those figures, because it puts things into perspective and shows how many in the community, especially in my area, fit into that picture, and especially myself and my grandparents, and many residents in my area who were products of this post World War II migration to Australia.

We are grateful to the people of Campania, who have made an array of sacrifices to leave their mother country many years ago, the sacrifices they made and the contribution they have made to South Australia. South Australia is certainly much more diverse, much more culturally sound and certainly has many more food options available to it since the people of Campania chose to migrate to South Australia. We are very grateful to the Campania Club for all that it does. I wish them well in June, when they have their 40th year celebrations, and I commend motion to the house.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (12:49): I rise to speak in favour of this motion by the member for Hartley in congratulating the Campania Sports and Social Club on its 40th anniversary. As we all know, the settlement of Italians in South Australia is one the great chapters in the migrant history of our state, particularly in the years between 1945 and 1972 when approximately 30,000 Italians settled in South Australia, many of them from the Campania region.

According to the 2011 census, there are now about 21,000 Italian-born South Australians and more than 85,000 have Italian ancestry. I, along with the member for Light, am one of them. The Italian migrants and their descendants have excelled in every aspect of South Australian history, from the law to education, business to the arts, medicine to trades, and so many communities and sporting clubs and associations. In the South Australian parliament we have members past and present on both sides of the chamber who are of Italian background.

I know that all members of the government join me in acknowledging the enormous economic, cultural and social contribution the Italian community has made to South Australia for more than 1½ centuries. A significant part of the contribution can be traced to the establishment of regional clubs and associations like the Campania club. Most cultural clubs and organisations established by migrants who have settled in our state are born from humble beginnings or the dream of an individual or small group of people. The Campania Sports and Social Club is no exception.

According to the publication The migrants from Campania and their lives in South Australia, the Campania club was founded in 1975, owing much to the foresight and planning of Cavilieri John Di Fede, who had visited similar clubs in the USA and been impressed by the role of these clubs played in maintaining cultural heritage and social connection among Italian migrants. Today's members of the Campania club are the heirs of the legacy left by the visionary pioneers in the mid-1970s and the beneficiaries of their sacrifice and hard work which turned a dream into reality.

Four decades on the club continues to enjoy great support and patronage from Italian migrants from the Campania region, as well as members of the Italian community more generally. The club enjoys a very healthy membership of about 600 people and its facilities, in the heart of the electorate of Florey, are well utilised with 200 to 300 people visiting several nights every week.

The club should also be recognised for what it gives back to the community. Be it locally or internationally, the club has a history of raising money for many charities and natural disasters. These include the 1980 Irpinia earthquake in Italy where 290 people lost their lives and 300,000 were left homeless, the 2004 Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami, and the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

The club has also worked hard to foster and promote cultural links with the region of Campania in Italy, with leaders of the Campania club accompanying ministers and members of the South Australian parliament on trade and cultural visits to the region. The club celebrated many milestones in its 40-year history. The 35th anniversary of the club in 2010 was marked by a special concert with renowned Italian tenor Dario Sebastiani paying homage to many of opera's most treasured arias.

In April 2012, the Premier officially opened the newly renovated club rooms. The upgraded club includes a new air-conditioned forecourt bocce stadium, a large hall (The Benevento Hall), bar and kitchen, offices, a children's play area with two pizza ovens. I do not think the pizza ovens are in the children's play area, though! The entire project was undertaken by volunteers with sponsorship from some 69 businesses or organisations, once again reinforcing the club's reputation for self-sufficiency. In February 2014, the centre's new library was officially opened, as was previously mentioned, by His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy, who is a native of Benevento. The club received $3,000 in state government funding via the Multicultural SA group for the library project.

In June last year, the club hosted the annual Festa della Repubblica reception. The club's 40th anniversary celebrations, as was mentioned, are being led by Cavilieri Serafino (Steve) Maglieri and will comprise a full weekend of activities. On Saturday 20 June the club will hold an open day with a free sausage sizzle and drinks with the aim of inviting the local Modbury North community to tour the club's facilities and participate in activities. This is yet another wonderful example of a cultural club opening its doors to the local community which can only increase the understanding and respect between different cultural groups in our community.

The main event on Sunday 21 June will be the official anniversary celebrations followed by a gala stand up reception in the club's Benevento Hall. In addition to the speeches and musical entertainment, the club's pioneers and past presidents will be presented to guests, underscoring the high esteem in which this group of people is held. The club will also show its appreciation to its loyal members by inviting them and their families to join the official celebration. I am also advised that the broader Italian community will be invited to join the anniversary with representatives from some 200 Italian based clubs, associations and organisations.

I congratulate all who have been involved in the success and growth of the Campania club over the past 40 years. I particularly want to congratulate the club's leaders from the early pioneers to the current president, Mr Roberto Corsini. I also want to acknowledge the dedication, hard work and commitment of the hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers who over the past four decades have given their time, love and passion to ensure that the club has not only stayed alive but thrived.

The 40th anniversary of the Campania Sports and Social Club not only represents the significant milestone in the settlement of Italians in South Australia, it also represents an example of a long-term commitment of Italian migrants, their children and in many cases grandchildren to promote and preserve their culture. I will be there and I hope any other members will also attend this month's celebrations as they will be a fitting tribute to the magnificent achievements of all involved. I wish the club all the best in its future endeavours. Viva Campania!

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (12:54): Viva Campania, indeed. It gives me great pleasure to support the motion. I thank the member for Hartley for bringing it forward. I agree with everything that he said, as the member for Florey has said and, I imagine, the member for Light is probably going to try to say if there is any time.

The committee of the 40th anniversary of the Campania Club, led by Cavaliere Steve Maglieri, is doing a terrific job and I, like others, am looking forward to attending on 21 June to recognise the amazing contribution that this group has made over 40 years.

I particularly want to put on the record and pay tribute to the incredibly inspiring and visionary founders of the club who worked for many years to actually get the land, worked with councils, raised money in the community, and built the club. Over the years their legacy has been extraordinary. For the record, and to recognise in this house the founders of the club in 1975, they were: Cavaliere Giovanni Di Fede, Ezio Spina, Pomeo Ranaldo, Clemente Maione (a very good man indeed), Giovanni Di Matteo, Mario Mignone, Sabatino Ranaldo, Michele Luongo, Raffaele Barone (my friend), Feliciano Zirillo, Liberantonio Limongelli, Michele Carofano, Erminio Ranaldo, Antonio Rotolo and Nicola Minicozzi.

In acknowledging that group, I also pay tribute to the thousands of volunteers over the years who are the dozens, probably hundreds, of committee members. My very good friend Fedele Catalano takes me there for dinner about once every two or three months. It is a joy in my life that that happens. I can tell all members, and anyone who has not been to the Campania Club, that without a doubt the best pizzas in South Australia are served at the Campania Club. I know that I am offending the Campbelltown soccer club. I know that I am offending the member for Hartley's family at the Altavilla Irpina Sports and Social Club. I know that the good people at the Rostrevor Pizza Bar are upset with me right now. But the Campania Sports and Social Club is the best and there is no doubting it. It is a wonderful contribution that they make and I think that it is appropriate this house recognises their achievements over 40 years. I commend the motion to the house.

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