SA vows to keep Italian consulate open

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has vowed to keep Adelaide's Italian Consulate open, despite a decision by the Italian government to close the office next year.

Mr Weatherill said the state government had lobbied hard to win the consulate "stays of execution" in recent years and would not give up the fight.

He has written to the Italian prime minister and the Italian ambassador in Canberra, urging them to overturn the cost-cutting measure.

"We're going to continue to campaign and we're going to win," the premier told about 50 members of South Australia's strong Italian community outside the consulate on Wednesday.

"This couldn't be a more important issue for the local Italian community.

"We'll be on their side fighting every inch of the way."

The consulate is located in Adelaide's northeastern suburbs and has seven staff, three of whom are appointed from Rome.

They will be posted to other offices when the consulate closes as scheduled at the end of February, while the future of the four local staff members remains unclear.

One of those, Danilo Benvenuto, said the consulate in Adelaide had been operating for more than 40 years and would be a big loss to the Italian community.

"Especially the older generation, they are attached to the consulate," he said.

"Not having that support will be quite devastating to them."

Local Labor MP Grace Portolesi said it was impractical for elderly Italian residents in Adelaide to deal with consulate officials in Melbourne.

"It will cause very practical hardships for local communities, not to mention the very symbolic presence that the consulate offers," Ms Portolesi said.

Mr Weatherill said he understood the Italian government was under severe financial pressures and had taken the decision to close the consulate "with a heavy heart".

But he said he didn't think Italian officials understood the level of feeling in the local community or appreciated the distances between Adelaide and Melbourne.