SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ITALIAN ASSOCIATION 75TH ANNIVERSARY
The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (21:19): I move:
That this Council—
- Congratulates the South Australian Italian Association (SAIA) on reaching its remarkable 75th anniversary in 2024;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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
- 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 75th 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 has 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 75th 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 75th 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.