Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I attended the blessing and official opening of the St Joseph's Community Centre at Paralowie in the city of Salisbury. It was carried out by Archbishop Philip Wilson with the support of Father Roderick O'Brien from the St Augustine Salisbury parish. The opening saw the realisation of a vision that originated in 1972 with the formation of the St Joseph's Association committee. The committee was formed in response to the social needs of a large Italian community that had settled in the Salisbury region. The committee had previously been using facilities at St Augustine's Catholic church and the St Augustine's Catholic primary school but had always hoped to one day have its own facilities. Subsequently land was bought at Paralowie, and works on the new building began in 2005, much of the work being done by volunteers.

The centre has now been in use for some time, and I have to say that it has proved to be a marvellous facility for the broader community and in particular with respect to all the services provided to the elderly throughout the Salisbury area. I congratulate the management committee, and I particularly acknowledge the many founding members who, sadly, did not live to see their vision realised. I thank the current management committee executive led by President Sam Gareffa, the tireless Sister Elda Sbarra, Grace Gareffa, Tony Polemeni, Grace Caruso, Tony Desteno, Joe Furina and Rocco Carpentieri for the work that they did in bringing the vision to fruition.