By David Rogerson
The NSW State Funeral for John Laws brought together a rare balance of dignity, warmth, and storytelling—an atmosphere that felt perfectly attuned to the man Australia knew so well. Held with full state protocol, the service carried the ceremonial respect due to someone of his national significance: official acknowledgements, formal order, and the quiet precision that marks a state occasion. Yet beneath the formality ran a genuine sense of affection, memory, and gratitude.
Pictured L-R: John Kerr, Steve Liebmann, Steve Blanda , David Rogerson, Trevor Sinclair, Steve Barker and Dave Whitcomb.
It was unmistakably Lawsie’s farewell—quietly suggesting that we should continue to be kind to each. Those words clearly contained in the eulogies despite John no longer being on air to remind us of how he closed his show each day with this thought.
Some of the most moving elements of the service were the pics and images that many had never seen. And for good reason. Lawsie was also a very private man as they revealed the private world behind the public voice. Among them were snapshots of a young jackaroo John Laws, a confident horse-rider .These were the early days—rough, real, and deeply Australian.
But it was the family moments that struck the deepest chord for me. The images of a young Dad John Laws—hugging his children, laughing freely, and growing alongside them. They revealed a man whose heart was dedicated far more in home than in the studio. They reminded everyone that before the golden microphone, before the ratings, before the legend, there was a father who loved without hesitation. And right to the end continued to love them deeply.
And while that love was clear, it was his marriage to his beloved Princess, Caroline, that completed his world. Their partnership brought him joy, stability, and a sense of fulfilment that radiated through every story and every photograph. And in losing her 5 years ago, the deep grief that could never be resolved. Caroline’s family, too, became part of a larger, happier circle around him—proof that love was equally shared.
St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney was filled with a wide range of people—family, close friends, colleagues, long-time listeners, public figures, and those who simply felt they had known him through decades of radio companionship. Perhaps also the people who couldn’t be there were an equally important reminder of the many wider lives John engaged with over his 70 years in the industry. He was deeply passionate about radio and communicating. The 90-minute service left no empty seat. Attempting to list every attendee would have been impossible and unfair, for many came quietly and without title. Their presence mattered just as deeply as that of any dignitary from a former Prime Minister, Hollywood Actor, Governor of the State, and assorted clergy.
2SM staff past and present – Pete Samios, James Yelland, News Director Dianne Coveny-Garland, Janette Lakiss, Co-owner and Managing Director Despina Priala and Justin Ross.
The gathering itself told a story. Amid the traditional formal dress of a state funeral—dark suits, ties, coats—were T-shirts, caps, casual jackets, and the relaxed attire of everyday Australians. It was a visual reminder of the breadth of John’s reach: powerful enough to draw leaders of industry and government, yet personal enough to bring in ordinary listeners who felt he had spoken directly to them across the airwaves.
Together, with a combined boys choir from the nearby St Andrews School , we honoured not just the broadcaster, but the man: the jackaroo, the father, the husband, the friend, and the voice that shaped weekday mornings across the nation.
The farewell was dignified, heartfelt, and deeply human. And as the final words and music of Less of Me by longtime friend Roger Miller settled over the cathedral, it felt as though Australia was saying goodbye not just to a radio legend, but to a chapter of our own national story.
About David:
With a background covering over 40 years in Media and Communications, David Rogerson is experienced in nearly every facet of the radio and media communications industries from Group Content Director, to National Marketing Manager and Company Director. He is currently a lecturer and mentor at the Australian Institute of Music in the Masters and Bachelor degrees and curates the Radio Rubber Room Facebook group which is a media supporter of the Australian Audio Awards to be held next year.
In 1997 he founded media and communications consulting company “Strategic Media Solutions” which has provided insights and client solutions in more than 15 countries around the world.
As a published author of media related books and entertainment journal articles David has personally mentored a wide range of media company directors, industry managers and entertainment executives. In the music field David’s experience covers marketing and digital content development for a range of artists including INXS and is part of the judging panel for the Australian Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
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