Consistency in policy choices, knowledge of the community and experience with campaign dynamics.
The centre-right in Australia has decided once again to bet on these strengths that Giuseppe Cossari certainly boasts; even though in the past the same strengths were not enough for him to nab the coveted parliamentary seat in our electorate.
It is a sign that in order to defeat the Democratic Party and its candidates, a new key to convincing voters must be found.
Cossari thinks he has found this key.
"Those who have represented the community have not been effective... there is a need for change, for renewal," he argued when interviewed by Riccardo Schirru on IL GLOBO TV.
“This is why I decided to run for the fourth time," Cossari explained.
“Because I want to have the opportunity to really be the spokesperson for Italians in Australia."
If elected as spokesperson, Fratelli d'Italia candidate Cossari hopes to tell the story of Italian migrants in Australia.
“No one knows what the migrant has endured," he told Schirru.
Cossari is convinced that his past as a migrant and his experience mayor of Knox and Maroondah are two crucial elements of his life that make him the right candidate to represent our community.
In recent years, however, a new wave of migration has profoundly changed the face of Italians in Australia; new migrants make up an important percentage of the electorate that the right will have to convince to assert itself as a strong competitor.
"Even in 2022 it is still difficult to be a migrant," Cossari stated.
“I see how hard these newcomers work, but they do not have all of the rights of Australian workers, and during Covid they were left alone."
What puts newcomers in a precarious and vulnerable position, however, is the visa system itself, and there is little an elected parliamentarian in Italy can do about this.
Nonetheless, Cossari is convinced that once in government, the right "will be able to help with this as well."
Because of their current plight, newer migrants are among the most disillusioned with politics in our community - a disillusionment that is widespread across all sectors and age groups, including the second and third generations of Australian-born Italians.
“In the past we have been abandoned by everyone, and this is due to insufficient leadership and representation in our community,” Cossari cited as the reason for this political disenfranchisement.
If elected, Cossari therefore aims to change all of this, and to do so within a maximum of two terms.
“Because you cannot be in parliament, as so many in our community are, for 15 years. There is a need for change.”
“If the voters elect me, and the polls confirm that the centre-right is winning, it will mean that I will be in government, and from there I can make an impact. But I will not stay for more than two terms," Cossari said.
However, should the centre-right win as the polls predict, the government will be occupied with a whole series of problems that won’t leave much room for the issues of Italians abroad.
This is what the last few years in Italian politics would lead one to predict.
And regarding crises, if the centre-right were elected, it would immediately be dealing with a difficult international situation, especially as a coalition with internally contrasting positions on the conflict.
Cossari, however, has no doubts on the matter.
"Giorgia Meloni has made it clear that a government led by her will support the Atlantic Alliance. We, in Fratelli d'Italia, are for peace, and we will work to achieve peace. We are against war and, if I am elected, I will vote against Putin."
Cossari emphasises that a right-wing government will therefore be against Russia but for order and security.
"Uncontrolled immigration is not acceptable," he explained.
“Just as it is not acceptable that all immigrants arriving in Italy today are prey to exploitation – real modern-day slavery."
The only way for Cossari to avoid this is control.
"Those who enter Italy must respect the rules," he argued.
“We need a system like the one in Australia," he said, reviving an idea that is not new, but very difficult to apply in a country like Italy, which has a very different geographical location.
"Mind you, I am not against immigration; I am an immigrant myself,” Cossari was keen to emphasise.
“But one must follow the rules, as I have done myself. By following the rules, as an immigrant from Calabria, I managed to become mayor."
