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

On Saturday, 6 December, the South Australian Croatian community will host its annual Croatian Festa at their clubrooms and grounds at Sports Park in the Makin electorate. It is a day of Croatian food, wine, entertainment, events and amusements, including a soccer game between Whyalla and Port Lincoln Croatian teams and even a boulder throwing contest.

The Festa is now in its 11th year. It has become a major cultural event in the South Australian events calendar and is widely regarded as the biggest and best Croatian festival throughout Australia. Thousands of people attend the event each year, and the numbers keep increasing. Of course, it would not happen without the hard work of so many volunteers, and I applaud each and every one of them for their commitment to the Festa and their pride in their Croatian heritage. Like many Australians of European descent, most South Australian Croatians came to South Australia after World War II and are now getting on in years, but it is a credit to them that their customs and traditions live on through their children and grandchildren.

Once again, I plan to attend this year's event and hopefully catch up with many of my Croatian friends. I have no doubt that, if the weather holds out, this year's Croatian Festa will be even bigger and better than those of previous years, and I would encourage anyone who is able to do so to attend.

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