Sisto - Bringing People Together

This is a very Melbourne story, but it applies to all of Australia.

A great tragedy occurred a week ago just around the corner from where I live. A moment of madness broke out on the streets when one crazy guy went into such a frenzy that repeated taser hits could not bring him down. Some called it a “terrorist incident”. I don’t. To me it was an act of random insanity, probably drug fuelled, that murdered Sisto – one of my dearest friends and one of the most loved people in Melbourne. I see no reason to apply a divisive label to the horrible death of a man who was so loved for bringing people together.

I’ve known Sisto and his business partner Nino since 1976. They started the famous Italian ristorante and espresso bar Pellegrini’s two years earlier and provided Melbournians in the CBD with their first cappuccinos. They still provide the best.

For more than 40 years Sisto was as Melbourne as a Bourke Street tram or a torpedo punt. And next Tuesday, his immense and humble contribution to our town will be recognised at a State Funeral in the grand St Patricks Cathedral.

What is it that brings such emotion out of all of us, me included, at the death of Sisto. Well it’s simply this.  He loved us, he loved his town and we loved him. His never-ending smile sent us on our way into the world with renewed delight. The warmth and openness of his welcome always made us smile. Some years ago, as I was calling in for my morning coffee he commented that he loved the maroon jacket he’d seen me wear on television the previous week. He was so taken with it, that I got one made for him exactly the same. He always loved it, but as you can see, added his own Italian colour and style with the cravat and the scarf.

Look at the two smiles. He had the sort of smile that always made you smile too. This Italian immigrant brought pure joy to millions.

These days many of us are far too inclined to turn on our immigration system. We are stupid to do so.

97% of us are either immigrants or the offspring of generations of immigrants. Right now, around 50% of Australians are first- or second-generation migrants. And it is wrong of our politicians to turn events such as the death of Sisto into fear and hatred of immigrants.

Our Prime Minister arrived unannounced at Sisto’s café several days ago with an entourage of photographers. He didn’t tell the family, he didn’t tell the staff.  He was there to take advantage of the situation. Wrong. Sisto had many friends and none of the them appreciated his death being used as a political moment.

The story of Sisto is the story of Australia. We embrace each other.  We are all equal. That’s the way Sisto looked at it.

Some years ago I had a late meeting with Kevin Rudd in his Foreign Minister period and he suggested that we have dinner. I’m not a big evening or dinner person but I agreed, and we went down to the classy Grossi Florentino’s.

Kevin got a bit over enthusiastic about embracing Melbourne’s Italian scene by delivering a history of Italy. I could see we were fast losing the waiter, as well as a few neighbouring diners, so as soon as we finished our mains, I suggested that we have coffee at Pellegrini’s 50 meters up the street. It's a tiny place, perhaps 4 meters wide with a long bar down one side and a kitchen out the back.

I could see that the Foreign Minister was feeling a little out of his comfort zone as we squeezed our way through the crowded bar area. This certainly wasn't a private entrance to the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations.  All the stools were full, so I walked through into the kitchen. And there was Sisto; face lit up, arms outspread.

“Hello” said the Foreign Minster “I’m Kevin”.

“And I’m Sisto. Welcome, please sit down”

You could see a sense of crisis engulfing the Foreign Minister. “err here – in the kitchen?”

“This is Melbourne Minister”, I said.

He was out of his comfort zone but to most Australians this is our comfort zone. And this is the story of everyone like Sisto who have made modern Australia. 

On another occasion I took an American mate of mine Bo Cutter to Pellegrini’s. He was the budget director in the Clinton Whitehouse. I told him I’d meet him out the front of Pellegrini’s but desperate to get there on time, I parked my car illegally right outside. I could see Sisto beaming at me and as I abandoned my car I spied Mick Gatto and a couple of his helpers having a coffee.

“Mick, I haven’t got time to park my car”.

“Don’t worry pal we’ll look after it”.

Some might have thought that might be the last time I’d see my car, but no. Five minutes later one of Mick’s boys appeared as I was sitting with Bo and explained “Mr Gatto said to let us know when you need your car and we’ll bring it back.”

And that’s Pellegrini’s, that’s Melbourne and that’s Australia. Doesn't matter who you are if you’re fair dinkum about looking after each other.

Sisto’s death is tragic and should never have happened but he lives on in the lives of the millions he touched with his smile …. and his coffee.

We are a great nation of 25 million people and our long and rich migrant histories over many generations should always be a source of pride and never division. Paul Keating once said that the job of a leader is twofold: to keep the country safe and to keep the people together.

That’s the story of Sisto. He never stopped bringing people together.