Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about Australia's Greek community and the incredible contribution they have made to our life, economy and culture in Australia. Over the weekend, on 25 March, it was Greek Independence Day, which has been celebrated annually since the end of the Greek revolution in 1821. It is a day of celebration in Greece, Cyprus and the Greek diaspora, and it coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation. I salute our Greek Australian community in my electorate of Pearce and across the nation, and I would like to take this opportunity in this place to speak about their contribution.

In Pearce we have some very well known and well loved Greek Aussies, including the Trandos family, who are true pioneers. Where would we be without the grit and determination of Dimitrios Trandos! Dimitrios planted the first seeds of fruit and vegetables in Wanaroo, after leaving his wife Dimitroula and sons Nicolas and Stavros in their home village in Greece in 1938. After many years of separation, the family was finally together again, making a new home in Australia. Their small family business grew from a plot at Pappas Swamp in Wanneroo, and since then the family has been successfully working the land as market gardeners, contributing a significant amount to our state and our national economy in horticulture.

The generations have helped grow the business over the decades, providing a fantastic source of local jobs in the electorate and beyond. The business has many long-term employees, which is a testament to the excellent culture that they have there. Trandos Farms, known as WA Corn Growers, has evolved to become one of Western Australia's largest growers of beans and sweet corn, with several farms, including Neerabup in my electorate in Pearce, as well as three more outside the electorate. They also grow hydroponic tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants and more. Produce is sold in major supermarkets and is also exported globally to five countries, including the United Arab Emirates, with three of those countries receiving weekly stock shipments.

This is a true Greek Australian success story, which started from very humble beginnings. It started with someone taking a risk, being fearless and leaving behind loved ones to forge a future in a foreign land. I want to acknowledge in this place that that decision must have taken enormous courage. Through the hard work, dedication, business acumen and love of this very special family, it has gone on to become a global success and a well-loved local company and brand.

We owe a great deal to icons like Dimitrios and Nicolas Trandos, as pioneers in the electorate. I give a shout-out to the entire Trandos family for providing not only fresh produce but jobs, investment and growth for our local community and the state of Western Australia. To see the Trandos family endure through the challenges of the pandemic, confronted with the challenges of worker shortages, and emerge stronger, continue to grow and evolve their business is truly inspiring. It sends a message that, if you put your heart and head into a dream, achieving that goal is possible.

WA Corn Growers is also conscious of treading lightly on the environment and has significantly reduced its plastic packaging and is innovating in other areas of the business. As a past recipient of a Syngenta Grower of the Year Award, Jim Trandos has been recognised for outstanding achievement across all aspects of horticulture production, including growing, environmental and staff management, and quality of produce. The award also acknowledged grower commitment to innovation and advancing the Australian horticulture industry.

The Trandos family has always been incredibly generous, regularly giving away fruit and vegetables to the community and sporting clubs. This generosity and heart runs through the veins of every Trandos.

Our Greek Australian community has blazed a trail wherever they have gone, and modern Australia would be unrecognisable without them.

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