John Laws will be farewelled at a state funeral on Wednesday. This is what to expect

3 months ago 4

Legendary radio broadcaster John Laws will be farewelled in a state funeral at St Andrew’s Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon, less than two weeks after his death aged 90.

Laws’ family accepted the offer of a state funeral from NSW Premier Chris Minns, who described the broadcaster as a “towering figure in Australian radio whose voice resonated across the nation for more than seven decades”.

John Laws was known as “golden tonsils” for his distinctive voice.

“His legacy lies not only in the thousands of hours on air, but in the connection he forged with millions of Australians,” Minns said.

Here’s what to expect ahead of Laws’ state funeral, and a quick history of the state services observed in Australia.

What is a state funeral in Australia?

A state funeral recognises an individual’s achievements and contribution across their lifetime, and allows the public to grieve for the person, and express gratitude for their service to the Australian people.

A state service, which can either be a funeral or memorial, is offered by political leaders of the day to the families of the person being honoured.

It is funded by the state or federal government staging the event.

Who has been given a state funeral over the years?

A range of Australians known for contributions spanning politics, business, entertainment and sport have been offered state services.

The most recent NSW state memorial was held in March for David Polson, a key figure in Australia’s response to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s following his diagnosis with the then-relatively unknown virus.

Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku was celebrated in a state memorial at Sydney Town Hall in 2021.

Barry Humphries, Eddie Jaku, Bob Fulton and Carla Zampatti are among the high-profile Australians honoured with a state service over the past four years.

Which notable names haven’t received one and why?

It’s common for families to decline the offer of a state service, opting instead for a smaller funeral or memorial without the public attention.

The families of Steve Irwin and Richie Benaud are among those who declined the offer. Irwin’s father, Bob, said Steve wanted to be “remembered as an ordinary bloke”, and wouldn’t appreciate the fanfare of a state service. Benaud’s widow, Daphne, opted against the offer, sharing that Richie wished for a private funeral.

Steve Irwin’s family declined the offer of a state service.

Suggestions of a state service for Cardinal George Pell, whose convictions for child sexual abuse were quashed on appeal to the High Court in 2020, were dismissed by then-Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, who said he “couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that”.

Public momentum for a state service honouring Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig, who died in December last year, failed to produce an offer to his family. A public memorial service honouring Leunig was staged at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne instead.

How much do they cost?

The cost of a state service, borne by the taxpayer, depends on several factors.

The spectacular Melbourne Cricket Ground service to honour cricket great Shane Warne in 2022, for example, cost Victorian taxpayers $1.6 million, almost triple the cost of the state’s second most expensive state funeral that year.

This included $1 million to Eddie McGuire’s JAM TV to stage and produce the event, and $420,000 to the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Shane Warne’s state memorial service was held at the MCG.

In contrast, the 2022 state funeral for former Victorian minister Jane Garrett at Brunswick Town Hall cost $50,000.

Who is expected to attend John Laws’ state funeral?

The state funeral is open to the public and can be attended by anyone. It will also be livestreamed on the NSW government website.

Political leaders from the past and present are among those expected to be in attendance. Broadcasters and other celebrities are also tipped to join those at St Andrew’s Cathedral.

St Andrew’s Cathedral will host John Laws’ state funeral.

One broadcaster whose attendance is in doubt is Kyle Sandilands, who described Laws as “one of the true originals”, and a “mentor and a mate” following his death. Sandilands, speaking on his radio program on Wednesday, said he was undecided about attending the funeral, amid reluctance about being photographed by paparazzi while in an emotionally vulnerable state.

It’s unclear whether Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who remembered Laws as an “iconic Australian”, will attend. Minns, or a senior member of the NSW government, is expected to attend.

When was the last state funeral at St Andrew’s Cathedral?

Laws’ state funeral will be the first held at St Andrew’s since 2009, when mourners gathered to grieve for pioneering Australian aviator Nancy-Bird Walton.

Soccer legend Johnny Warren and country musician David “Slim Dusty” Gordon Kirkpatrick are among the other Australians who have been farewelled in a state service at St Andrew’s.

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