More than 800 mourners gathered at Sydney's St Andrews Cathedral to pay their final respects to radio icon John Laws during his state funeral on Wednesday. The legendary broadcaster, known affectionately as 'the Golden Tonsils', passed away on 9 November at the age of 90.
A Celebrity Farewell
The solemn occasion attracted prominent figures from across Australian public life, including former prime minister John Howard, billionaire Lindsay Fox, Olympian Dawn Fraser, and broadcasters Ben Fordham and Richard Wilkins. Many of Laws' elderly listeners also joined the congregation to honour the man whose voice had dominated Australian airwaves for seven decades.
Russell Crowe, the Academy Award-winning actor who had been Laws' neighbour in Woolloomooloo for 23 years, delivered a heartfelt and occasionally irreverent eulogy that captured the broadcaster's complex character. 'We were quite often on opposite sides of any issue,' Crowe revealed, 'However, we did agree that we liked each other's company and our different perspectives never stopped us from making each other laugh.'
Personal Touches and Revelations
Crowe shared several personal anecdotes that highlighted their unique friendship, including the revelation that Laws had given his son a bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon for his first birthday. 'The card read: 'To Charlie from John',' Crowe told the congregation. 'Now that was pretty much when the afternoon tea ended and the celebration truly began.'
Laws' famous golden microphone was placed on his coffin during the service, symbolising the instrument that made him a household name. Paul Warren, a friend of 55 years, delivered a eulogy celebrating Laws' extraordinary versatility. 'He could do just about anything,' Warren said. 'He wrote songs, he sang them, he made albums, he appeared in films, and he even popped up on Skippy.'
A Broadcasting Legacy
Warren highlighted Laws' remarkable career achievements, including his peak audience of over 2 million listeners and an unprecedented 92 consecutive radio survey wins. The broadcaster interviewed 16 prime ministers and numerous premiers throughout his career, establishing himself as one of Australia's most influential media figures.
Reverend Michael Jensen revealed in his sermon that he had encouraged Laws to read the Bible following the death of his wife, Caroline, in 2020. Despite his immense wealth and success, Jensen noted that Laws never lost his common touch. 'It's a long way from Woolloomooloo to Walgett,' Jensen observed. 'But John spoke Walgett fluently.'
Crowe addressed the apparent contradiction between Laws' often controversial on-air persona and his personal kindness, noting that the broadcaster consistently ended his shows with the words 'be kind to each other'. The actor saw this as part of the performance of a great showman who considered himself an entertainer rather than a journalist.
The service concluded with singer John Williamson performing 'True Blue', fulfilling a long-standing request from Laws himself. Crowe revealed that Laws had asked him many years ago to participate in his funeral, prompting the actor to joke about his prepared remarks: 'It's kind of like cash for comment, but less obvious.'
