‘Light on the Hill’ for Maltese-Australians

I have lived in the shadows of the John A. Aquilina MP most of my adult life in Australia. He is someone that has been in the forefront, not only of our Maltese community in Australia but the state of New South Wales and local government scene for 34 years.

Mr Aquilina has announced his retirement from state politics and will not be contesting the next NSW state election due on March 26.

During the Australian Day 2011 celebrations at Parramatta Town Hall, I had the privilege and the honour to speak briefly about this great Maltese-Australian, this humble patriot. I asked the question: What is John Aquilina to the Maltese community in Australia?

The only phrase that I found to fit perfectly is the “Light on the Hill”, a phrase resonated down the years as epitomising the workers’ philosophy.

It was ex-Prime Minister John Benedict Chifley, of Irish Catholic descent, who gave us, among other achievements, the post-war immigration scheme and the Australian citizenship in 1949, who first talked about the light on the hill.

It was that very light that guided most of the Maltese community since 1977 when out of the crevices, a youthful aspirant with an awkward name like Aquilina hit the Blacktown area like a thunderbolt.

In the difficult years of the 1970s, when ethnic Australia was in its infancy, having a name like Aquilina was certainly not cricket.

Showing a determination that never wavered, John remained the Light on the Hill not just for the Maltese but also for all the migrant communities in NSW. We looked up to him.

If a politician with a name like Aquilina can make it, so can we. This man was a trailblazer. Nowadays there are as many foreign sounding names in politics like Tripodi, Costa, Sartor, Roozendaal etc. But not in the 1970s. I salute Mr Aquilina and wish him a happy retirement. Thank you John for all your inspiration, guidance and leadership. Thank you for being the NSW Maltese community’s “Light on the Hill”.