Daily London
John Laws, the Australian radio titan who a former Australian prime minister once called “the broadcaster of the century”, has died. He was 90
Tributes to the man best known as “Lawsie” and “the Golden Tonsils” during more than 70 years on air begun pouring in tonight from fellow radio stars.
Kyle Sandilands described him as “one of the true originals”.
“You could never mistake him for anyone else,” the Kyle and Jackie O host said on X.
He said what he thought, didn’t care who he offended, but could also show deep compassion when required.
“I’m devastated to have lost a mentor and a mate. Radio won’t be the same without him.”
Ray Hadley said Laws revolutionised the talk radio industry.
“In the latter years when he was at 2SM and tell me I was a copier… my reply was that if you were in the presence of someone who had perfected their craft, you’d be mad not to use some of that yourself,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
Laws was born on 8 August, 1935, in Wau, New Guinea, to Australian parents who owned a number of trade stores.
He grew up in Sydney after being evacuated to Australia during World War II.
In 1953, at 18, Laws hitchhiked to central Victoria where he took a job as a general hand at local Bendigo radio station 3BO.
In 1956 he returned to the big smoke to work at Sydney station 2UE. He worked alongside the likes of the late Australian media icon Brian Henderson.
In 1999 he and then 2UE colleague Alan Jones were accused of being paid to give favourable treatment to brands such as Qantas, Optus and Australian banks.
By 2007, a 71-year-old Laws retired from radio, ending his 55 year career. He returned to the airwaves in 2011.
In early February 2020 Laws farewelled his “Princess” and wife, Caroline, who lost her battle with cancer.
In 2021, 85-year-old Laws suffered a health scare after he was admitted to a Sydney hospital with an infection.
