Australian Broadcasting Icon John Laws Dies Aged 90

Radio legend John Laws, known as "Golden Tonsils", has died at age 90 in Sydney.

Veteran broadcaster John Laws, one of the most recognisable voices in Australian radio history, has died at the age of 90.

Laws passed away peacefully at his home in Woolloomooloo after a period of declining health. His family said he remained in good spirits until recent weeks.

In a statement, they said he was remembered first as a loved family member, even as his public profile became a defining part of Australian media life.

“For so many he was a voice, a personality, a presence. For us, he was simply the person we loved,” the family said. “We take comfort knowing his was a life lived fully.”

Nicknamed “Golden Tonsils” for his warm, distinctive tone, Laws was a dominant force in talkback radio for more than seven decades. His morning programs set the national news agenda, drew millions of listeners and shaped political conversation across generations. At the peak of his career he was considered one of the most influential figures in the country.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said Laws left a legacy unlike any other in broadcasting.

“His voice carried across the nation for decades. Few will leave an imprint on Australian media as deep as John Laws,” Minns said.

Born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Australia, Laws overcame childhood polio before starting his career as a young announcer in regional radio. By the 1960s he had become a star in Sydney, fronting shows on stations including 2UE, 2GB and 2UW. He often opened his program with the greeting: “Hello world, I’m John Laws.”

John Laws with former Prime Minister John Howard and Lachlan Murdoch of Fox Corporation in 1998.

His on-air persona was bold and confident, and his audience loyalty was immense. He also had a long-running presence on television in the early years of Australian broadcasting.

In later life, Laws faced recurring respiratory illness and was in and out of hospital over the past decade. The death of his wife Caroline in 2020 was a profound personal loss.

He returned from retirement in 2011 to broadcast again on 2SM, continuing to work into his late eighties.

Tributes also came from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said listeners trusted Laws because he listened as well as he spoke.

John Laws being presented with Golden Microphone by John Conte in 1992.

“He told people the truth as he saw it and he created space for others to speak. He was thoughtful, prepared and an unforgettable presence both on and off air,” Albanese said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley called him a pioneer whose voice became part of “the national soundtrack”.

Laws is survived by his sons Samual and Joshua, his stepdaughters Gabrielle, Georgina, Nichola and Susie, and his grandchildren.