Australian radio has lost one of its most enduring voices with the death of John Laws, who passed away today at the age of 90.
Laws’ death comes almost a year to the day since his final broadcast on 2SM, marking the end of a career that spanned more than seven decades.
Widely regarded as Australia’s most powerful talkback host, Laws was affectionately known as “Golden Tonsils” for his distinctive, resonant delivery that shaped the sound of Australian radio.
Laws began his radio journey in the 1950s and became synonymous with Sydney’s airwaves through long-running stints at 2UE and 2GB, where his mix of conversation, opinion and intimacy with listeners made him a defining figure in the medium.
In October 2023, he told his 2SM audience he would retire, just shy of 71 years in broadcasting, describing the decision as bittersweet. “It’s hard to comprehend the outpouring of love and support,” he said at the time.
“I’ve been so lucky to share the airwaves with Australians for so long.”
Laws was married to his wife Caroline for more than four decades, calling her his “princess.” Together, they became one of Sydney’s most recognisable couples, regularly appearing at social and charity events.
The making of a legend
Laws’ radio journey began in 1953 at Bendigo’s 3BO, before he made the leap to Sydney’s 2UE four years later.
At 2UE, he helped shape the country’s modern radio sound, becoming one of the first to play rock ‘n’ roll on air and later transforming into a commanding force in talkback.
His mix of charisma and conviction made him both influential and highly paid, a rare combination that endured across decades.
After a four-year hiatus beginning in 2007, Laws returned to the airwaves at 2SM and the Super Radio Network, re-establishing the connection that had defined his life’s work.