Edwin Keith Russack (2 April 1918 – 26 February 1999) known as Keith Russack, was a politician in the State of South Australia.

History

Russack was born at

Kadina, South Australia Kadina ( ) is a town on the Yorke Peninsula of the Australian state of South Australia, approximately 144 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. The largest town of the Peninsula, Kadina is one of the three Copper Triangle ...

, the youngest son of Alfred Hermann Russack (1879 – 5 November 1951) and his wife Rosa. A. H. Russack was a jeweller who had served his apprenticeship with J. M. Wendt, and Keith trained as a watchmaker and was employed at his father's business in Kadina. He enlisted with the 2nd AIF early in 1940 and saw action in South-east Asia. He maintained his involvement with the military, and in 1952 was Captain of C Company 27th Infantry Battalion (South Australian Scottish Regiment). By 1953 he had two jewellery and gift stores in Kadina. He was in September 1970 elected as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

candidate for a Midland district seat in the Legislative Council made vacant by the death of

Colin Rowe Colin Rowe (27 March 1920 – 5 November 1999), was a British-born, American-naturalised architectural historian, critic, theoretician, and teacher; he is acknowledged to have been a major theoretical and critical influence, in the second h ...

. In 1973 he won the seat of Gouger in the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible gove ...

, succeeding

Steele Hall Raymond Steele Hall (born 30 November 1928) is a former Australian politician who served as the 36th Premier of South Australia from 1968 to 1970. He also served in the federal Parliament as a senator for South Australia from 1974 to 1977 and ...

. At the 1977 elections the seat of Gouger had been abolished, and Russack was not preselected for any seat, so stood as an Independent Liberal for Goyder, which he won, and subsequently rejoined the Liberal Party and held the seat until 1982, when he retired, to be succeeded by John Meier.

Other activities

He was Mayor of the Corporate Town of Kadina (as also was Liberal Premier

John Olsen John Wayne Olsen, AO (born 7 June 1945) is a former Australian politician, diplomat and football commissioner. He was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001. He is now President of the Federal Liberal Party, C ...

) from 1968 to 1971, a charter member of Kadina Rotary Club from 1959, and director of the first Kernewek Lowender Festival. He was awarded an OAM in 1989.

Family

He married Ruth Boaden Trenwith (21 November 1920 – 27 August 2000) of Kadina in February 1943. They had three sons: Rodger, Lee and Mark.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russack, Keith Members of the South Australian Legislative Council Members of the South Australian House of Assembly 1918 births 1999 deaths Liberal and Country League politicians 20th-century Australian politicians Mayors of places in South Australia Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia