Australian Icons

Australian icons are people who have made a significant impact on the country’s history. These icons represent Australia’s rich traditions and culture. They are admired by Australians everywhere. Australian icons have also inspired many creative works. Australian writers Clive James and Rolf de Wigmore have written several iconic books about iconic Australians. 

 Australian icon John F. Kennedy was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 to 1963. He is best known for offering moral support to the US during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 with his “We Choose Peace” speech. This speech brought the world together in support of ending the Cold War and reducing nuclear weapons stockpiling. In addition, he is remembered for his iconic words, “Let us never negotiate out of fear… but let us never fear to negotiate…” when he opened the 1959 American University commencement speech with these words. Another well-known Kennedy quote is, “A democracy… can only succeed when it promotes allggyty [sic]…and permits allggyty [sic]…to go on being successful or unsuccessful within established laws and principles of morality and justice." 

Australian icon Clive James is an Australian writer, critic, public intellectual, and now a writer emeritus of The Age newspaper since his retirement in 2005 at age 87. He has written more than 20 books of fiction and nonfiction, including The Far Flung Adventures of Biff Watson (1962), The Closed Book (1971), Notable Women: The International Best-Dressed List (1981), Letters to His Sons (1994) and Myself Among Others (2005). He has published more than 50 books since 1945— including 17 novels — which have sold more than 8 million copies worldwide. In addition to writing, James has hosted multiple TV shows such as Clive James’ World of Books on PBS as well as Clive James Presents American Voices on BBC America. In addition to his literary career, he has also served as a diplomat for Australia in Washington DC from 1966 to 1968 under Richard Nixon’s administration as an American Literature Consultant at the Library of Congress. 

Australian icon Captain James “Jim” Day is an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton Football Club between 1943–48 before retiring from football at age 27 due to a knee injury sustained playing for Australia against South Africa in 1948 at Adelaide Oval. He was awarded Life Membership to both Carlton Football Club and the Victorian Football League in 1951, as well as being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1988, Day was voted number one on AFL Team of Century list by 100 AFL players from around Australia and New Zealand based on votes from fans throughout Australia and New Zealand via post-match media interviews conducted by AFL Media during matches between 1988–89 season until Week 3 finals series where Day received most votes across all teams with 37 votes followed by Kevin Bartlett who received 36 votes consecutively until week 7 finals series when Jim Stynes polled 37 consecutive votes consecutively till week 12 finals series when Day polled most consecutive votes consecutively until week 16 finals series when Day received most consecutive votes consecutives with 37 consecutive votes consecutives till Week 3 finals series where Steve Kendall polled 37 consecutive votes consecutives till week 6 finals series when Jim Stynes polled 37 consecutive votes consecutives till week 2 finals series when Jim Stynes polled 37 consecutive vote consecutives till Week 1 finals series where David Neitz polled 37 consecutive vote consecutives till Week 1 finals series where Mark Ricci poll 37 consecutive vote until Lance Censer polled 37 consecutive vote until Brian Cossins polled 37 consecutive vote until Brett Splett poll 37 consecutive vote until Scott Hamilton polled 37 #1 Legends - Sport Icons Series - Nick Withers

 Although there have been several notable Australians throughout history— such as John F Kennedy, Clive James and Captain Jim Day — they are regarded by