Kristina becomes Australia's second American Premier
February 2010
Not since the days of John Jenkins* has an American ascended the dizzying heights as a State premier, but Kristina Keneally has become the 42nd premier in Australia's most populous state of New South Wales.
Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kristina lived most of her American life in Ohio, studied at the University of Dayton with
a Bachelor of Arts and later at the Marquette University where she was awarded Master of Arts in religion, something
she may need in the roller coaster politics of New South Wales. She was also a champion soccer player no
less and can take a rough and tumble. She arrived in Australia briefly in 1994, returned in 1996, two years later
having the first of two children and becoming naturalised in 2000.
Within three years Kristina had been elected to the lower house of the NSW State Legislative Assembly making her maiden speech to the House in 2003. She rapidly moved up the ranks to hold several portfolios before being
elected Premier, 42-21 votes, by the State Labor party room.
Kristina's father, John Kerscher, told her from an early age she shouldn't play ''like a girl''. As her school soccer
coach in Ohio, he urged his teenage daughter to go for broke.
''I was pushing her to excel,'' he told the Herald recently.
''I knew that if she didn't play like a girl, but played to her capabilities, she would be a very successful player.
Mothers from other teams used to say: 'That big blonde out there is playing dirty'. She wasn't playing dirty - she
was playing soccer the way soccer should be played.''
Substitute the word ''politics' for 'soccer' and you see where her sheer driving determination to reach the top
mightcome from.
"Kristina has always had strong convictions," says her mum, Cathy Kerscher who told The Weekend Australian.
"And she wasn't afraid to speak up in front of her friends, or to do something about it." It's for that reason they
struggle to suppress a laugh at claims that the eldest of their three children, who was sworn in as NSW Premier
by Governor Marie Bashir, is a "puppet" for NSW Labor's dominant Right faction.
Kristina's husband Ben's uncle, author, Thomas Keneally said: "She's a woman of independent conscience, strong
and intelligent. And over time, she'll win the respect of people, I'm sure."
"Having shared a podium with Thomas Keneally on a book launch in Sydney, "says ASAD's executive officer, Keith Smiley, "nephew Ben may well have an influence on Kristina's life, and like his uncle, bring with it plenty of opinion, laughter and satire to go with the topsy turvy nature of NSW politics.
"On behalf of The Australian Society of American Descendants I wish Kristina and her family a warm
congratulations and hope that Kristina can make effective changes to the great State of NSW, like her earlier
American compatriot, John Jenkins, did for the State of South Australia," said Keith.
*The other American-born Premier, John Jenkins was born in Pennsylvania. and came to South Australia in 1878 and
began importing both American and English books. In June 1886 he was elected a member of the house of
assembly for East Adelaide and in March 1891 he became minister of education in the Playford ministry, and
exchanged this for the portfolio of commissioner of public works in January 1892. In May 1901, Jenkins became
premier, chief secretary, and minister controlling the Northern Territory. As premier he took an important share
of the work connected with ministerial bills, and among the acts he was responsible for were those providing
free education, the Happy Valley water-supply system for Adelaide, and the trans-continental railway. He also
played a major role in an agreement between the States about the River Murray, and in continuing attempts to
develop the Northern Territory. As chief secretary in Holder's government, he was also minister for defence and
had responsibility for the four South Australian contingents to the South African War.
The sad news hit Australians in October of 2009 of the passing of one of Australia's great entertainers,
Manhattan born singer Don Lane, the 'lanky Yank' as he was known. He was a very popular American Australian
who also brought humour and slap stick comedy to television audiences. Becoming a household name in the
seventies with The Don Lane Show on Channel Nine. He had earlier worked alongside Frankie Laine, Wayne
Newton and Sammy Davis Jr. The trio of Lane, Kennedy and Newton poduced the magic for Channel Nine in its high-rating days of yesteryear. Don Lane switched to Channel Ten for a late night program called Late Night Oz
and later became a sportscaster and brought prominence to American football as well as basketball.
His distinctive New York twang was recognised by all.
Don was an all-consumate cabaret performer and starred in Las Vegas as a headline act, after he had left
Australia for a stint in the USA. To his already busy crown was added ten Logis Awards in various categories,
always the darling of Australian viewers.
A memorial was held at the South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club, and ended with Don's performance of Once Before I Go on the final Don Lane Show which earned him his final standing ovation to audience tears
and applause.
the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc. in Columbia, Tennessee.
Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday celebrated
The American Civil War of Australia Inc. celebrated the birth 200 years ago of US president,
Abraham Lincoln. The symposium was held at the Celtic Club 316 Queens St Melbourne,
on February 7th, 2009.
A perspective on the life and times of Lincoln, was presented by Paul Spencer who opened his address around the theme, 'Path to the Presidency - Lincoln's rise from failed congressman to the
Republican Party nomination.' Waren Ellem will then discuss, 'Lincoln and the Republican Party
and Sean Young presented, 'Lincoln and his generals', with concluding oration given by Len Traynor on, 'Abraham Lincoln, his ailments and tragedies'.
For more details, contact, Jeff Yuille on 0412523199 or 03 9748 7996 or email him on
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.
New information emerges
from north east study
- 1700 names identified in research of mainly American men,
their wives and families
Research into Americans and Canadians who came to Australia during the gold rush era, 1850-1870,
have been uncovered in Victoria's Northeast, once the jewel in the State's fortunes.
The study which took over five years to complete has been compiled by veteran researchers Denise McMahon and compatriot, Christine Wild who both have claims to American heritage in the region.
The work focuses on miners, shopkeepers, entrepreneurs, and workers who spent time in the northeast of Victoria. The study identifies and reveals the lives of over 170 men, describing the ups and downs of their often precarious lives as they sought their fortunes from the ground or from various businesses. Some remained in the Northeast while others moved out across Australia, while some Americans returned to the USA. One thing they all had in common was their contribution to the development of the Australia.
This is a fascinating account not previously seen about the men and women excluded in history books, now part of a painstaking analysis of primary and secondary data, a testament to the meticulousness of the authors. The publication has over a 1,100 pages of information, a tome in anyone’s language.
Mr Keith Smiley, who is executive officer of the Australian Society of American Descendants, says he believes this to be a significant find for American Australian history: "I laud the efforts of the pair, and the presentation of a fine piece of work about American cultural heritage in Australia. While the Society is busy searching for historical artefacts and the hitherto unseen yet important historiography of this lesser known of cultural groups in Australia, Denise and Christine are helping to illuminate the relevance of the contribution of Americans here, through identification and story telling," said Keith.
“American Fever, Australian Gold, as the study has been named, sets a tone of confidence in our cultural past, where the authors have left no stone unturned. The cooperative and selflessness of this research is adding to our knowledge base of multicultural Australia. I recommend this analysis to anyone who has an American forebear or who is interested in a rare insight to a lesser known group of Australians.”
Commenting on the difficulty of the research, author Christine Wild said: “Many men tried to escape us and brought us so much frustration, but not writer's block or even, for example, the tangled life of Harry or his surname, his ship listing, change of name, love affairs, illegitimate children and unfaithfulness, or imprisonment for forgery, would be allowed to escape our attention."
The authors cite the assistance of other historians and genealogists, along with data from personal letters and diaries of the time, keeping the surprises abounding. This fascinating account also reveals those who were criminals, bigamists, farmers, shopkeepers, coach proprietors, hoteliers, miners, entrepreneurs, adventurers, public-minded citizens and hard-working family men struggling to feed their families. Close to seventeen hundred names are mentioned in the narratives, where the reader is led to understand how these men were bound together by various forms of relationships, family, friendship, and business.
Acknowledging the important value of this study, Miami historian, Ms Arva Moore Parks commended their work. "Thanks to the internet, Australians, Denise McMahon, Chris Wild and I have become collaborators and friends. Because of their meticulous primary research and willingness to share, we have incredible, and heretofore unknown, information about one of Miami’s oldest families. Their William Barnwell Brickell in Australia was the lead story in the 2007 Tequesta, Journal of the Historical Museum of Southern Florida," said Arva. Arva is the author of more than a half-dozen books on South Florida, including Miami, the Magic City. She has produced films on Miami and Coconut Grove and has received several honours, including an Emmy from the Florida Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Arva is also a well-known American councillor of historical preservation.
‘American Fever, Australian Gold’ is available from the authors on CD in PDF format. It is fully searchable, having a comprehensive list of surnames which appear in the Contents. The work is aptly cited with an array of photographs complementing the text.
For further details, contact the authors, Denise McMahon or Christine Wild at
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Or you can phone Denise on 0413 792 384 or Christine on 0400 524 864; or contact can be made through the ASAD's email:
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or its website www.americanaustralians.org
The American Heritage in Australia exhibition at
Museum Victoria successfully concludes
The Richardsons from Wisconsin,
on display at the Museum
Thirty thousand visitors, many of whom are descendants of Americans, had an opportunity of seeing their forebears and others on display. Families with their children, old and young, came to the exhibition and the feedback was very positive. American immigrants finally receive the recognition they deserve in Australia, alongside other ethnic groups.
At the Launch of the Exhibition which was titled 'Cowboys, Church Bells and Curtain Calls', Dr David Greene, declared a milestone had been reached by acknowledging the contribution of Americans in general and the fact that Museum Victoria was the first to run an Exhibition about Americans.
The US Consul General, David Hopper, spoke about the special relationship America has had with Australia over the past 230 years and officially opened the Exhibition of American heritage in Australia which contained; photographs, artifacts, clothing, letters and other memorabilia. The Project coordinator, Keith Smiley, in his speech, brought together all the American descendants in the audience and provided a history of settlement, influence and impact that Americans have had in Australia since they arrived aboard the Captain Cook's, Endeavour ship. To cap off the event, American-Australian actor, writer and boxing legend, Gus Mercurio, spoke of his love for Australia, the country he calls home.
The media ran several articles in the press and radio coverage highlighted the exhibition through interviews and community spots.
