PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has ended her week-long visit to the US in true Aussie style, drinking a beer at a New York pub called The Australian and meeting expats who’ve raised more than $100,000 for flood relief.
Ms Gillard joked it was her “definition of success” that she had met everyone in the pub and walked away with a free beer.
The pub raised $19,000 for flood victims through two fundraising events.
An auction of paintings from the private collection of New York-based Australian artist David Rankin also raised $90,000.
The January fundraiser featured performances by Australian artists including Paul Dempsey, from the band Something for Kate, and Katy Steele, from Little Birdy.
Also involved were members of the New York Magpies, an amateur Australian rules football club formed in 1998, and USA Freedom, the American women’s representative Aussie rules footy team.
Ms Gillard told them the fundraising was much appreciated: “That’s the real Aussie spirit…thank you for showing it.”
by Robbo Green
