George Negus Biography – George Negus Wiki
George Negus born George Edward Negus was an Australian journalist, author, television, and radio presenter specializing in international affairs. He was the host of 6.30 with George Negus on Network Ten. He retained his role as a director of his own media consulting company, Negus Media International until his death.
Negus attended Indooroopilly State High School located in the Brisbane suburb of Indooroopilly in Queensland. He studied arts and journalism at the University of Queensland. Before writing for The Australian and The Australian Financial Review he worked as a high school teacher. He served as press secretary for Attorney-General Lionel Murphy during the Whitlam government. During his time as a political staffer, he was most famous for having leaked to the press the imminent investigation of ASIO’s headquarters by Murphy. The event became known as the 1973 Murphy raids.
He shot to the limelight as a reporter for This Day Tonight, a pioneering current affairs show on ABC that started in 1967 and continued through the late 1960s and into the 1970s. Later, he was a founding correspondent for the Australian 60 Minutes program from 1979 until 1986 and then co-hosted Today Australia until 1990.
From 1992 until 1999, Negus was the founding host of ABC’s foreign-themed current affairs Foreign Correspondent. He then went to live in Italy for 15 months on a professional sabbatical but produced a book entitled “The World From Italy – Football, Food, and Politics” which was published in 2001.
In 2002, he made his way back to ABC to facilitate a pre-election panel and audience discussion program “Australia Talks” before beginning 3 years as host of the early evening timeslot George Negus Tonight covering “trends and issues with an Australia-wide team of reporters and producers”. The show was canceled in November 2004, due to changes in regional funding to the broadcaster.
In 2005, Negus went on to host Dateline on the SBS network. In this role, he became known as one of Australia’s most respected journalists. After becoming a regular on Ten’s evening news program The 7 PM Project, produced by Roving Enterprises he started hosting 6.30 with George Negus on Network Ten in 2011. However, this venture only lasted for nine months, being canceled due to lower-than-expected ratings.
On February 28, 2012, episode of The Circle, together with Yumi Stynes, made comments about a photo of Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry recipient, coming out of a swimming pool. After tabloid criticism, they contacted Roberts-Smith who accepted their apology and agreed there was no malicious intent. Negus said his comments were taken out of context and he was not referring personally to Corporal Roberts-Smith. On September 13, 2014, Fairfax newspapers issued an apology to Stynes and Negus, stating “Our interpretation was wrong and we accept that both Mr. Negus and Ms. Stynes were not referring to Cpl Roberts-Smith personally.” News Limited publications, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, and news.com.au also retracted the incorrect allegations.
Negus has written several books, including one based on his time in Italy, and co-wrote a six-part series of children’s books with Kirsty Cockburn, his partner, in the early 1990s. His latest book is “The World from DownUnder – A Chat with Recent History” which was published by Harper Collins Australia. His best-selling The World from Islam, published in 2004, is an investigation of the Islamic world as seen from Negus’s travels in the Middle East. In The World from Islam, Negus defends Islam from claims of extremism, citing Islam’s diversity.
He was a fan of association football and a former board member of the national governing body Soccer Australia, as it was known at the time. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2015 Australia Day honors.
George Negus Age
He was born on March 13, 1942, in Brisbane, Australia, and died on October 15, 2024, in Sydney, Australia.He was 82 years old.
George Negus Wife
He was married to his wife, Kirsty Cockburn, who is a journalist and a collaborator on many of Negus’s projects including assistance in running their media company, Negus Media International, which was established in the 1980s according to 9 News.
George Negus Children
He had two children, Serge Cockburn, and Ned Cockburn. His children were brought up on a farm near Bellingen on the New South Wales northern coast, where he lived for 15 years with his family. Negus’ son, Serge Cockburn was the child actor who played Mikey Dundee alongside Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles.
George Negus Death
The former journalist died on October 15, 2024, at the age of 82. The cause of his death was stated to be complications resulting from Alzheimer’s disease.
His family said Negus “passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones” in Sydney.
“Despite the challenges diseases like Alzheimer’s inflict on families, we still shared beautiful times, laughter, and happiness together in recent times,” the statement read.
“We also learned a lot.”
“While we know he will be celebrated for his unique contribution to journalism, football, and the environment, he would also want to be remembered for the incredible family man he was.”
George Negus Dementia
He was a resident of Bellingen before he was moved into a Sydney nursing home in late 2021 after being diagnosed with dementia. His family released a statement on Wednesday, February 17, 2022, to share the news.
“As a family, we are sharing the new path we walk as George faces the realities of his diagnosis of dementia from Alzheimer’s disease. We continue to share wonderful family times and are grateful for the care and support we have had from extended family and friends over the past few years who understand our challenges,” the statement read. “George continues to give and receive the love and respect of us all. We appreciate all the good wishes from near and far at this time.”
