Rann’s outrage at closure

Rann’s outrage at closure
Gavin Lower
Backward step: Sandy Cennotofanti at work

PREMIER Mike Rann has blasted plans by the Italian government to close its consulate in Adelaide, describing the move as a ‘‘slap in the face’’ to South Australia. Mr Rann used the social networking service Twitter at the weekend to express his outrage at the move, and pledged to help with a petition against the closurebeing organised by state Labor MP Vini Ciccarello.Italy’s consul in Adelaide, Tommaso Coniglio, said yesterday that while the closure had been announced, the decision was technically not final until theministers of finance and foreign affairs had signed off on the decree.He said the announcement was made in Italy last week and that Adelaide was one of 20 Italian consulates around the world, including Brisbane, earmarked forclosure as a cost-cutting measure. The Italian government was planning to consolidate its presence in the country with consulates in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne and its embassy in Canberra, Mr Coniglio said. Mr Rann wrote on Twitter: ‘‘Slap in the face to Sth Aus that Italian govt is closing its consulatein Ade. Announced days after Ambass and I opened Punto Italia centre.’’He added that he was pleased that Ms Ciccarello, who represents the inner-city electorate of Norwood, which had strong Italian connections, was organising apetition against the closure. Ms Ciccarello said the decision to close the consulate ‘‘beggars belief’’. ‘‘(The decision comes) at a time the South Australian government, in particular the Premier, in the last couple of years, has been doing a lot to strengthen our links with Italy,’’ she said.Mr Rann, whose in-laws are Italian, is learning the language and is a wellknown Italophile. Sandy Cennotofanti, who was making coffees at her nephew’s cafe, Caffe Buongiorno, in Norwood yesterday, said it would be sad for Adelaide’s Italian community if the consulate closed. ‘‘Since I came, it was there,’’ she said. Ms Cennotofanti, 60, came to Adelaide as a nine-year-old with her parents, and is well known in the community.She said she had friends in the consulate and many in the community used it to renew their passports.‘‘It will be a bit of a hassle for Italians if they have to go to Melbourne if they have to do it,’’ she said. Mr Coniglio, 28, who has been the Italian consul in Adelaide for21/2 years, said Italians made up the largest ethnic group in South Australia, with about 14,000 people holding Italian passports andabout 100,000 of Italian origin.

The Australian