Journalist, broadcaster and former independent senator Derryn Hinch, known as the “human headline,” has died. He was 82.
His former radio station, 3AW, confirmed Hinch died in his sleep in Melbourne.
Hinch, born in New Zealand, started at The Taranaki Herald in 1960 at the age of 15.
In Australia he worked for The Sun in Sydney and became Fairfax’s New York bureau chief in 1972.
Hinch moved to 3AW In 1979 to host the morning program for eight years.
In television, he had the HINCH current affairs program and hosted the Midday Show on Nine
He was convicted three times for contempt-of-court in revealing the identities of sex offenders, spending 12 days in jail for identifying a paedophile Catholic priest.
At the age of 72, he was elected to the Senate representing Victoria, becoming the oldest federal parliamentarian to be elected for the first time.
A heavy drinker as a young man, he had a liver transplant in 2011.
He was married five times, including twice to actor Jacki Weaver.
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