GUSTIN, LENA AND DINO
ML MSS 5288 Add-on 1982
MLOII 133/1-15
GR 254
PARTLY RESTRICTED
Papers, 1909-1992 In Italian and English
MS., typescript, carbon typescript, duplicated typescript, photocopies,
printed, newscuttings, proofs, photographs, audio tapes, gramophone
record 67 boxes, 3 items; 12.00m.
Presented by Lena and Dino Gustin in 1990 and 1993
Lena Gustin, radio broadcaster, journalist and welfare worker, was the
voice of Sydney's Italian community through her popular radio programs
from the 1950s to the 1980s. She came to be known as Mamma Lena, a mark
of the affectionate regard in which she was held by her listeners.
Maddalena (Lena) Maria Gustin was born in 1914 at Dezzo di Scalye,
Bergamo, the daughter of Alberto Morelli and his wife, Caterina, nee
Bettoni. She studied languages, but not English, at the University di
Venezia, Ca Foscari, completed a Teacher's Diploma at the Istituto
Magistrale Manzoni, Milan, and became a school teacher. In 1940 she
married Dino Gustin, a journalist from Trieste. Born in 1919, Dino was
the only child of Giacomo Gustin and his wife, Maria, née Bernetti. He
published novellas and short stories under Dino Gusteni to affect a more
Italian surname. After the war he organised and compered variety shows
and concerts in northern Italy Between 1942 and 1947 Lena bore three
children Alberto, her first-born who died at the age of four, Rosalba
and Roberto.
Lena and her family migrated to Australia in 1956 on the Aurelia and
settled at Bankstown in Sydney's south-west. Shortly after her arrival,
Lena commenced work as a journalist for the Italian language press. She
was a versatile columnist for La Fiaitinia, 1957-1964, and editor of the
Catholic monthly, La Croce del Sid, 1957- 1958, both newspapers owned by
the religious order of Capuchin Fathers at Leichhardt. In La Fiamma her
advice column, `Inchiostro Simpatico, and 'II Salotto di Lena', which
featured edited accounts of migrants' lives and experiences, attracted a
wide readership. Her advice column continued as 'A tu per tu con
Patrizia' in Gazzettino, 1963-1964, and as l'angolo di Annamaria' in the
weekly, Settegiorni, 1965.-1969. From March 1968 to July 1969 she served
as the first woman editor of Settegiorni.
Lena's distinguished broadcasting career began in the late 1950s on
Radio 2SM's 'The Italian Hour', sponsored by the Capuchins. From 1959 to
January 1973 she presented bilingual programs on Amalgamated Wireless
(Australasia) Limited's flagship, 2CH, a pioneer in this area of
broadcasting. Her Program Director and longtime friend was the
historian, Philip Geeves (1917-1983). Lena's husband, Dino, produced her
programs, devised many of the concorsi (competitions) and attracted
advertisers from the lucrative market of Italian business. The Gustins
were engaged under contract, drawing wages and commissions at the rate
of 10% on the gross value of Italian language advertising.
Innovative programming combined with a sympathetic attention to the
needs, and the active participation, of Lena's largely postwar migrant
audience were the hallmarks of her ratings success and public appeal. In
1963 the Gustins launched `Sorella Radio' (Sister Radio), a program
modelled on one of the same name in Italy, conducted by the legendary
broadcaster, Maria Luisa Boncompagni. Initially they scripted the
program for 2KY, but later incorporated it into their suite of programs
on 2CH. Dedicated to welfare and charity work, funded by radio appeals,
its beneficiaries included new settlers, registered charities and the
Italian Catholic Federation (FCI). 'Hit Parade' introduced many
listeners to the current vogue in Italian music. In 1970-1971 the
Festival in Casa Contest provided a showcase of artistic talent in the
Italo-Australian community. Scores of performers, including singers,
musical groups and writers, entered the contest, and for some it was the
platform which launched their careers. On `International Carousel',
listeners received advice on various matters from the Commonwealth
Bank's Migrant Information Service. In 1967 the visit by the President
of Italy, Giuseppe Saragat, the first by an Italian Head of State to
Australia, gave the Gustins the opportunity for closer collaboration
with RAI-TV, the Italian Broadcasting Corporation. Access to its
resources enabled them to transmit up-to-date news bulletins and
features from Italy. In January 1970 the tenth anniversary of their
`Arrivederci Roma' program was celebrated with a gala ball at the
Wentworth Hotel, Sydney.
In January 1973 2CH's decision to terminate its foreign language
programs precipitated the Federal Government's entry into ethnic
broadcasting. Following the station's announcement, Lena convened a
committee of broadcasters which unsuccessfully sought from the
Government a broadcasting licence for ethnic communities under the name,
Radio Australian FM International. In response to representations from
groups such as Lena's, the Minister for Immigration, A.J. Grassby, set
up the NSW Migrant Task Force - Broadcasting Sub-Committee to
investigate the need for an ethnic broadcasting service. Lena's
considerable experience was drawn upon when she served as a member of
the Sub-Committee. In 1975 the Government formed the Ethnic Radio
Experimental Committee to be responsible for the formulation of the
program policy of Sydney 2EA and Melbourne 3EA Ethnic Broadcasting
Stations. Two years later, the Government established the Special
Broadcasting Service, an independent statutory authority, with the
responsibility for all ethnic broadcasting in Australia. From 1977 to
1981 Lena served on the State Ethnic Broadcasting Advisory Committee
(NSW), established to advise the SBS and the Minister for Immigration
and Ethnic Affairs on a range of matters directly affecting ethnic
broadcasting in the state, from programming schedules to matters
concerning ethnic audiences.
Lena and Dino transferred their programs to 2KY in February 1973, and
from September 1980 to 1985 to the non-commercial station, 2SER-FM,
where the programs were exclusively in Italian. Despite Lena's continued
popularity, her successful formats of the 1960s were modified to
accommodate the respective stations' programming policies.
An influential fund-raiser, Lena helped galvanise support for a
series of natural disasters in Italy and Australia. Her organisational
efforts benefited the victims of the Vajont Dam disaster in the Veneto
region, 1963; the Florence Flood, 1966; the earthquakes in Sicily, 1968,
Friuli, 1976, and southern Italy, 1980; and Cyclone Tracy in Darwin,
1974.
Much of Lena's welfare work in the 1960s was achieved in her capacity as
the voluntary delegate, 1959-1967, and later President, 1967-1971, of
ANFE (NSW Branch) (Associazione Nazionale Famiglie Emigranti / National
Association of Emigrant Families). In 1961 she was Public Relations
Officer of the Migrant Medical Centre. Following the 1967 Migration
Agreement between Australia and Italy, ANFE's work burgeoned with
requests for assistance regarding admissions to Australia and family
reunions. In 1967 she attended the 20th ANFE Congress in Rome. Later
that year during President Saragat's visit to Australia, she secured
from him a donation of $10,000 towards a retirment home for migrants.
This money was later given to the Scalabrinian Order for a retirement
village at Austral in Sydney's outer-west, a project that was realised
in 1974. In 1968 ANFE was instrumental in the success of the Sicilian
Earthquake Relief Appeal. The proceeds ANFE raised were allocated for
the construction of a preschool in Poggioreale, one of the worst hit
areas. Within two years the preschool was opened and ANFE assisted in
the resettlement of earthquake victims in Australia.
In 1972 Lena was founding President of the Sorella Radio Welfare
Fund, established to raise funds for a child-care centre at Fairfield,
NSW, one of Australia's most ethnically diverse municipalities. Opened
in 1984, the Sorella Radio Long Day Child Care Centre is a lasting
tribute to her concern for children from all backgrounds. In 1979 she
organised the Multinational Mini-Festival at Sydney Town Hall, which
concluded the International Year of the Child.
From 1978 to 1982 Lena was a member of the newly created National
Women's Advisory Council, established to advise the Federal Government
through the Minister for Home Affairs on the needs and status of women.
The only migrant woman appointee, Lena brought a unique insight to the
Council.
Lena's only entry into politics was when she contested unsuccessfully
the 1982 Federal By-Election for Lowe as an Independent candidate. The
seat, won by Michael Maher (ALP), was vacated by Sir William McMahon
following his retirement from Parliament.
Rosalba and Roberto Gustin have pursued business interests in Asia. They
received their secondary education at Birrong Girls High and Holy Cross
College, Ryde. In 1969 Rosalba graduated BA Hons (Italian) from Sydney
University. She has worked as an interpreter, and in the areas of
marketing and public relations. Roberto studied Mechanical Engineering
at the University of NSW. In 1982 he was knighted by the Maltese
Government for developing that country's tourist trade.
In 1980 Dino's mother, Maria, came to live in Australia. She died in
Sydney in 1983.
In 1989 Lena was a founding member and made Patron of the Italian
regional association, Lombardi nel Mondo (Sydney). In the next year she
was elected President
of the Ladies Committee of the Apia Club, Leichhardt. Honoured by the
Italian Government in 1967 with the Croce di ('ai'a/iere, also awarded
to Dino in 1975, Lena was appointed MBE in 1968 for her services to the
community. Popular tributes to her include the songs 'Mamma Lena' by
Nino Cavallaro in 1965 and `Omaggio a Mamma Lena' released in 1991 by
singer-songwriter, Peter Ciani. In 1977 the Sorella Radio Welfare Fund
published the anonymously authored The sully of Mamma Lena. A decade
later Dino Gustin compiled the comprehensive account of her life, 70
anni di ricordi in due month 70 years of life in two comilries !icily
and Australia. Lakemba, NSW T&R United (Australia) Pty Ltd.
CONTENTS
I. LENA GUSTIN
1922-1991 A. Personal Papers
i. Correspondence and letters received Boxes 1-3(70)
ii. Miscellaneous papers Box 3(70)
iii. Printed material Box 3-4X(70)
v. Grammophone record GR 254
vi. Audio tape MLOH 133/15
1957-1969 B. Journalism
i. La Coce Del Sud Box 6(70)
ii. La Fianna
a. Readers' correspondence Boxes 6-10(70)
b. Newscuttings of columns Box 11X(70)
iii. Gazettino Box 12(70)
a. Readers' correspondence
b. Newscuttings of columns
iv. Seilegiorni Box 12(70)
a. Newscuttings of columns
1972-1981 C. Broadcasting
i. Papers re Radio Australian FM International
ii. Papers re NSW Migrant Task Force -Broadcasting Sub-Cttee
iii. Papers re Ethnic Radio Experimental
Cttee : Radio Ethnic Aust. (EREC)
iv. Papers re State Ethnic Broadcasting
Cttee (NSW)
1959-1972 D. ANFE (NSW)
Correspondence and subject files Boxes 13-14(70) |