Giovanni Sgro
{{Short description|Italian-born Australian politician (1931–2019)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
Giovanni Antonio Sgro (16 February 1931 – 18 March 2019) was an Italian-born Australian politician. Sgro emigrated to Australia in 1952.Giovanni Sgro (2000), Mediterranean Son. Memoirs of a Calabrian Migrant, Coburg, Victoria, Scoprire il Sud. {{ISBN|0-646-38541-0}} He was a painter and decorator.{{Cite news |date=27 March 1973 |title=A Persistent Australian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/828650831 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=The Age |location=Melbourne, Australia |pages=5}} In 1979, he became the first Italian-born MP in Victoria.{{Cite news |date=29 Oct 1989 |title=Migrant MP Maintains Rage for Ethnic Cause |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/828537754 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-04-11 |work=The Sunday Age |department= |location=Melbourne, Australia |pages=Agenda 4}} He served as a Member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing the Labor Party for Melbourne North Province from July 1979 until his retirement in August 1992.
Biography
Sgro was born in Seminara, in Calabria, Italy on 16 February 1931. He applied for assisted passage to Australia in 1952{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=SGRO Giovanni Antonio born 16 February 1931 - Italian - travelled per ship FLORENTIA departing in 1952 under Australian Italian Migration Agreement |url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1455977 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=National Archives of Australia |series=A2478 |id=1455977}} and arrived on the Florentina on 21 April 1952.{{Cite web |title=SGRO', Giovanni - Antonio : Year of Birth - 1931 : Nationality - ITALIAN : Travelled per - FLORENTIA : Number - 316049 |url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203699351 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=National Archives of Australia |series=A2571 |id=203699351}} On his arrival, he worked at a migrant camp in Bonegilla for three months before leading a demonstration over the lack of work available to migrants.{{Cite web |last=Arkley |first=Lindsey |last2=Kukolja |first2=Kristina |date=11 July 2016 |title=Unwanted Australians: Giovanni Sgro |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/unwanted-australians-giovanni-sgro/foo07uxdx |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=SBS News |language=en}} Following his release, he worked in northern Victoria for two years. In 1954, he moved to Melbourne.
Sgro joined the Communist Party. He applied for Australian citizenship in 1959 and was rejected. His Communist Party membership led to him not being able to visit Italy as he was not guaranteed a re-entry visa. After being rejected 7 times, Sgro was finally granted Australian citizenship in 1973.
In 1975, Sgro became the founding president of the Melbourne branch of FILEF (Federation of Italian Migrant Workers and their Families). He later joined the Labor Party and served as electorate secretary to Jim Simmonds, MLA, from 1978 to 1979.
In 1979, he was elected a Member of the Legislative Council of Victoria, the member for North Melbourne, becoming the first Italian-born MP in Victoria. In Parliament, Sgro delivered his maiden speech in Italian.Lyle Allan (1985). "Ethnic Politics in the ALP," in P.R. Hay, J.Halligan, J.Warhurst, B.Costar (eds.), Essays on Victorian Politics, Warrnambool Institute Press, page 140. {{ISBN|0-949759-06-6}} In 1980, questions were raised as to whether the British Settlement Act 1700 prevented foreign-born people from holding high office.{{Cite news |date=1980-09-12 |title=Ban on Aliens: Victoria Act to Change Old Law |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125621557?searchTerm=giovanni%20sgro |access-date=2025-04-15 |work=Canberra Times |pages=7}} Sgro served as Chairman of Committees{{Cite book |title=The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2001 |isbn=0521807891 |edition=2001 Hardback |pages=521 |language=en}} and Deputy President of the Legislative Council from 1984 to 1989.{{cite web |title=Profile of Giovanni Antonio Sgro |url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/giovanni-sgro/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Parliament of Victoria}} In 1991, he lost his bid for re-election;{{Cite news |date=1991-04-08 |title=Treasurer scrapes in, Minister out |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122355464?searchTerm=giovanni%20sgro |access-date=2025-04-15 |work=Canberra Times}} he retired from office in August 1992.
Sgro died on 19 March 2019.{{Cite web |title=Giovanni Sgro Obituary (1931 - 2019) - Melbourne, Victoria - The Age |url=https://tributes.theage.com.au/au/obituaries/theage-au/name/giovanni-sgro-obituary?id=43352199 |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Legacy.com}} He was 88. Sgro was survived by his wife, Anna (née Foster), whom he had married in 1965.
References
External links
- Profile of [https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/giovanni-sgro/ Giovanni Antonio Sgro] on the Parliament of Victoria website
- [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203699351 Photo of Giovanni Sgro], c. 1952
- [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=11772384 Photo of Giovanni Sgro], 1979
- Heath, Sally, "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/120444580 Mafia Money Claims Queried by MP]". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 April 1990. p.17. Retrieved 11 April 2025
- Cafarella, Jane, "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/120441170 Spouses Face Possibility of Losing a Nest-Egg]". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria. 30 May 1991. p.6. Retrieved 11 April 2025
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Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Victoria
Category:Members of the Victorian Legislative Council
Category:Italian emigrants to Australia
Category:Australian politicians of Italian descent
Category:People from the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria