Ray Hadley reflects on the life of the radio icon John Laws

Key Concepts

• John "Loy" Laws: Legendary Australian radio broadcaster, credited with pioneering talkback radio in its modern form.
• Talkback Radio: A radio format where listeners can call in and speak directly to the host.
• Paneling: The technical process of managing radio show elements like calls, music, and sound effects, often done by the presenter themselves.
• "Greet them, gut them, and goodbye them": A methodology for handling talkback callers, emphasizing engagement, extracting information, and concluding the segment efficiently.
• Graham Richardson (Richo): Former Australian Labor politician, political analyst, and commentator.
• Gough Whitlam's Dismissal (1975): The constitutional crisis where Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the elected Labor government.
• Albanese's Speech: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent remarks on the 50th anniversary of Whitlam's dismissal, characterizing it as a "partisan political ambush."
• Electoral Mandate: The authority granted to a government by voters through an election.

Tribute to John "Loy" Laws

The segment begins with a somber acknowledgment of the passing of radio legend John "Loy" Laws. Ray Hadley, a former understudy of Laws, shares his personal grief and highlights Laws' significant contributions to broadcasting.

• Master of Talkback Radio: Laws is credited with taking talkback radio to a "fine art." While Ormsby Wilkins first experimented with talkback in 1960, Laws refined the format, becoming a master of engaging and "milking" callers for their stories.
• Technical Prowess: Laws was one of the few presenters who "paneled for himself," meaning he managed the technical aspects of his show (calls, music, sound effects) independently. Hadley learned this skill from Laws, emphasizing the importance of being in "complete control."
• "Greet them, gut them, and goodbye them": This phrase, attributed to John Brennan (Laws' mentor), encapsulates the approach to handling open-line callers: engage them, extract their story, and then move on efficiently. This methodology is noted as less prevalent now due to alternative communication methods like texts and social media.
• Entertainer, Not Journalist: Laws himself never claimed to be a journalist, identifying primarily as an entertainer. However, he was the first broadcaster to "put the acid on politicians," questioning them vigorously and pursuing them if he disliked their answers.
• Greatest Radio Broadcaster: Hadley asserts that Laws is "the greatest radio broadcaster this country has produced," placing him alongside other legends like Bob Rogers and Gary O'Callaghan. He also mentions Jack Davy as a pre-Laws legend.
• Rivalry and Mentorship: Hadley recounts a professional rivalry with Laws, noting that he beat Laws in the ratings in 2004. Laws was reportedly unhappy about this, but Hadley acknowledges learning immensely from him, even admitting to "stealing" Laws' techniques, including paneling, outros, stings, music beds, and the "famous button" for private communication.
• "Voice that would curl a friend a penny": This quote, attributed to Brennan, describes Laws' magnificent voice.
• Personal Relationship: Socially, Laws was always "pleasant, always kind and generous" to Hadley. However, during professional battles, Laws was less complimentary, a dynamic Hadley acknowledges as "part of the game" that toughened him up.
• Tough School of Talk Radio: Hadley describes talkback radio as a "tough school" and "not a school for the faint-hearted," requiring fierce competitiveness.
• Seven Decades of Success: Laws' successful career spanned over seven decades.

Reflections on Graham Richardson (Richo)

The conversation then shifts to the passing of Graham Richardson, a former Labor politician and commentator.

• Labor History and Political Analysis: Richo will be remembered for his Labor history and his evolution into a "really great political analyst and commentator" in his later years.
• Centrist Labor Politician: Despite political differences, Hadley found Richo "fantastic company." Richo is described as a "centrist Labor politician," who "hated the left of the Labour Party" and was "quite sensible on a lot of issues."
• Balance of Views: Richo is seen as someone who desired a "competition" and a "balance of views," both within the Labor party and between parties. He believed in the importance of opposition from the Liberals and Nationals.
• Good Outweighs Not So Good: Hadley concludes that, when weighing Richo's life achievements, "the good always outweighed the not so good."

Discussion on Gough Whitlam's Dismissal

The final segment focuses on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent speech regarding the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam's dismissal.

• Albanese's Characterization: Albanese described the dismissal on November 11, 1975, not as a "constitutional crisis" but as a "partisan political ambush," a "calculated plot hatched by conservative forces."
• Counterargument: Electoral Mandate: Hadley strongly disagrees with Albanese's interpretation, highlighting the subsequent election where the coalition (Liberals and Nationals) won 91 seats to Labor's 36. He argues that the electorate "sent them packing" and that this "landslide 55 seat win" by Fraser cannot be dismissed.
• Albanese's Age and Political Ambition: Hadley speculates that Albanese, who was 12 at the time, may have been a "political student" even then, angling for a position in the Labor Party, which he eventually achieved as Prime Minister.
• Whitlam's Legacy: While acknowledging that Gough Whitlam "did some good things," Hadley also notes he "did some absolutely incredibly bad things."
• Electorate's Decision: Hadley emphasizes that the electorate's decision in the 1975 election, a significant margin, demonstrated their view on the government's performance.
• Enduring Strong Views: Fifty years later, strong emotions surrounding the dismissal persist, with people like Alan Ezy still expressing anger.
• Personal Anecdote: Hadley mentions a friend, "the world's richest communist" (implied to be Kevin Rudd), who is a keen golfer and would be deeply affected by discussions of the dismissal.

Conclusion

The segment concludes with Ray Hadley expressing his condolences to the families of both John Laws and Graham Richardson, acknowledging that "living and dying is all part of the deal" and "it's just part of life."