Virgilio Zammit

Virgilio Zammit JP, MBE

Community Leader

Virgilio Zammit’s contribution to the Maltese Community was largely through two organisations, the Maltese Community Council of NSW and the Maltese Sub-Branch of the RSL. He arrived with his family from Malta in May 1957 and worked in various clerical duties until his retirement in 1977. Virgilio had various roles in the MCC of NSW and in fact was the convenor of the meeting of Maltese associations in 1966 to form the MCC. This was successful and the major associations agreed to join the Council. Not only was Virgilio an active member of the MCC but he was very active in the United Council of Immigrants, the forerunner of the Ethnic Communities’ Council. In 1974, Virgilio became President and Fred Fenech became the Secretary of the MCC and together they set about strengthening the Council. They did this by encouraging most of the Maltese associations to become members and take a more active part in the work of the Council. Just before the election of the MCC committee in 1974, Fred Fenech, who was then the Welfare Officer of the MCC, had started the campaign for dual citizenship by sending a petition, in the name of the MCC, to all the members of Parliament in Malta. The presidents of all the affiliated associations in NSW signed the petition. Virgilio signed as the president of the Maltese RSL Sub-Branch. Various activities were held during Virgilio’s presidency of the MCC to further the cause of dual citizenship including seminars and discussions about the issue. Another major issue was the two-year directive in Malta to give only second preference to returning Maltese migrants looking for jobs. The MCC objected strongly to this directive and called public meetings in Sydney to protest against it. When Virgilio went to Malta soon after, he raised the issue with the then Minister for Employment, the Hon Agatha Barbara. In 1975, Minister Barbara visited Sydney and at a meeting organised by the MCC, the issue was again debated. The Minister strongly argued that the Maltese government had introduced the measure to ensure employment for local workers at a time when many jobs with the British and NATO armed forces had been lost. She did agree, however, to look at individual cases of hardship affected by the directive. This was also the time when ethnic radio and later television were to be introduced and the MCC and Virgilio wanted a role in the broadcasting of Maltese programs. Unfortunately this led to a long conflict with Josephine Zammit MBE, who had lobbied successfully to be given the role of Maltese coordinator of Maltese programs on the government ethnic radio station 2EA, later becoming SBS Radio. Although Virgilio was not to see this, the MCC did eventually obtain its own radio program on one of the community radio stations, 2 SER FM. In 1975 and 1976, with the help of Virgilio, Fred Fenech held two very important variety concerts to promote the talent of Maltese migrants and their children in Sydney. Both these concerts were very successful, in spite of the scepticism of many opponents, and gave rise to such artists as the singer Joe Galea and the group, the Mifsud Brothers. These concerts opened the way for many Maltese artists in Sydney Virgilio continued in his role as president of the MCC till his passing away in November 1979. Virgilio’s other area of community work was through the Maltese RSL Sub-Branch. Through this organisation he worked unceasingly for the welfare of Maltese ex-servicemen. In his role as president, he obtained official recognition from the Australian RSL for his Maltese Sub-Branch and the right to participate in the ANZAC march on ANZAC Day. When he expressed the fear to Fred Fenech that his Sub-Branch members might be losing interest and needed another role, the latter suggested the formation of a theatre group. Virgilio accepted this suggestion and soon established the theatre group, Ic-Cittadini, which is still going strongly to date. Virgilio was a member of, and strongly supported, many other Maltese associations, in particular the Melita Eagles, now the Parramatta Melita Eagles Soccer Club, the Phoenician Club, then the only licensed Maltese club in Australia and the Maltese Guild. Virgilio never missed a Melita game and every Friday he attended the Phoenician Club. For his work for the Maltese Community, Virgilio was awarded an MBE in 1976.

Source: Information provided by Virgilio Zammit’s son, Victor Zammit.