Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with Senator Gallacher tonight in celebrating the success of South Australians. It is good to see Senator McEwen in the chamber, because she will know well the family I am talking about. I am grateful that she stayed to listen. I continue my expose about great migrants to South Australia, and tonight I rise to talk about how they have played a great role in the family small business sector in my home state. I want to talk about some of the important waves of migration to South Australia and how migrants have contributed to creating an innovative, flexible and dynamic small business sector in South Australia.

In the late 1800s, before the turn of that century, only 141 Italians lived in South Australia. This number grew slightly into the 20th century, with 344 Italians in the state in 1921. High levels of migration from southern Europe in the 1920s and 1930s pushed this number to over 2,000 by the start of World War II. It was during this boom of Italian migrants that Luigi Crotti and his wife arrived from the Lombardy region of Italy. In the 1930s San Remo, the pasta company, was founded. Luigi Crotti soon brought out his founding partner, and his son, Aldo, was then brought on board to help run the family business.

Back then, pasta was a niche product—a far cry from where it is today; a staple meal amongst many Australian families. By the 1960s pasta was much more commonplace in an increasingly multicultural Australia, and there were nine other companies trying to be chosen as the preferred provider. San Remo knew that to have a long-term future it needed to find a point of difference, and it turned its focus on producing a reliable, high-quality product at low cost through the development of a value chain that offered economies of scale. Over the years the Crotti family built up the San Remo business, and it was the first manufacturer to support and foster supermarket distribution, as the supermarket model first started to develop and unfold here in Australia.

San Remo is now one of our No. 1 pasta brands, and one of the largest manufacturers in our region. Its manufacturing facilities combine traditional Italian pasta-making know-how with the most modern technology. The San Remo business extends its services into local industry and the broader community, far more than pasta sales alone these days. Since the early 1990s San Remo in conjunction with farmers and the University of Adelaide Waite Agricultural Research Institute at Roseworthy have been developing a better-quality durum wheat. Their durum wheat mill, which was designed specifically for durum wheat, is one of the largest and most sophisticated mills in the Australian and South-East Asian region. It runs 24 hours a day and six days a week. San Remo also owns and operates its own semolina mill, which is located on a 32-acre site at Windsor Gardens in Adelaide's north-east. It is the largest in Australasia.

San Remo exports to 35 countries around the world, including to the Philippines, Korea, Egypt and, impressively, Italy. Incredibly, San Remo now produces some 750 products, including 50 individual pasta lines as well as other related products. In 2008 San Remo bought another iconic South Australian food business: Balfour's. Balfour's is the maker of pies, parties, sausage rolls and other bakery lines—and, of course, the famous green frog cake.

Senator Kroger interjecting—

Senator Scullion interjecting—

You can get them in Melbourne—rest assured, Senator Kroger—and even, Senator Scullion, in Darwin. San Remo is still very much a family affair. Luigi's grandson Morris is the chief executive officer, and his other grandson David is the general manager. In 2007 Luigi's son, Aldo Crotti, was a South Australian finalist in the Australian of the Year Award, and in 1991 was bestowed the medal of the Order of Australia for helping the needy and disadvantaged schools. He was knighted as Cavaliere by the Italian government, and in 2006 the President of the Italian Republic presented him with the highest civil award given by an Italian government: the official title of Commendatorein the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Over and above the commercial objectives of the company, it has had a long-term commitment to philanthropy, including in the areas of art and sport. The Australian Business Arts Foundation recognises San Remo and the National Gallery of Australia for demonstrating good practice in partnering on Renaissance: 15th and 16th century Italian paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo exhibition. San Remo has further worked with Netball Australia to help promote healthy lifestyles that incorporate a balanced diet and physical activity. San Remo also has a strong commitment to the environment, and has been a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant since 2008. In 2008-09 San Remo reduced its general waste by over 37 per cent, a reduction of 1,440 tonnes.

San Remo is a shining example in South Australia of the many migrants who have started and successfully grown strong, reputable businesses, which are positively servicing the Australian community. The work of San Remo shows how migration has been a benefit for South Australia and Australia in general, and how hard work has led to a great nation of free enterprise. While it may have South Australian origins, San Remo is a truly global brand. I feel sure that all South Australians and, indeed, all senators in this place tonight, including Senator McEwen from my home state, share with me in celebrating the great contribution to business, community and humanity in general that the Crotti family from Adelaide, formerly of Italy, make to our everyday lives.