Gael Jennings AM, ABC Alumni Board member, lauds the steady hand and brilliant career of former colleague Peter Ryan

In the midst of the all-consuming grimness on our screens (and in our ears)—of dark wars and violence, the inversion of justice, kindness and truth by a crazed US President destabilising the world—it is ironic that the death of one good, good man should somehow comfort us all.

Peter Ryan, our former ABC colleague, is that stand-out good, good man. He died in Sydney this month, on 18 July, from metastatic thyroid cancer at the age of 64, to an outpouring of grief and admiration. The Prime Minister and the Treasurer, business leaders, and friends, colleagues, and strangers from around Australia and around the world paid tribute to him, hundreds of messages poured in to his family and his closest friends. His death was reported and mourned on all commercial networks and even pay TV’s Sky News.

Tall, gentle, a voice you will all remember, Peter was devoted to the ABC (his “spiritual home”), rising from copy boy to Washington Bureau Chief, head of TV news and current affairs in Victoria, founding editor of Lateline Business, senior business correspondent, executive producer of Business Breakfast and a Walkley-award winning ABC journalist. Peter was undoubtedly a legendary journalist. But the comfort we all feel in the midst of his loss is our gratitude for having known him, that in his 45 years of journalism, his kindness, calm, generosity, humility and wisdom had an immeasurable and invaluable impact on younger colleagues, contemporaries, and the organisation.

Stephen Long, a former ABC business reporter, describes Ryan as a “fine journalist and an even better man”. Former ABC chief economics reporter Emma Alberici remembers “We had very early mornings getting into the office at 3am. One of the things I remember more than anything else was even in those ungodly hours or whenever things were stressful in the newsroom, he was the person to bring levity and grace, but also hilarious fun.” She adds “He was just such a great person.” His closest friend, Peter Cave, says in his eulogy:

“... (he was) always ready to listen, to lend support and advice, and if necessary, as the journalist union’s shop steward at the ABC, ready to take on the carpet strollers and bean counters if he thought they were being unfair, cruel, or just plain stupid, as they too often were. ”

I was lucky enough to work with Peter at a tumultuous time at the ABC, in Melbourne in 1996-98. I was new to radio, hosting the mid-morning slot on 3LO; he was just returned from running the Washington Bureau, to be Head of TV News. John Howard as PM had slashed the ABC’s budget. Managers were scared, the Board was aflutter, no one knew what would happen to our ABC, or to the work we produced. Insecure, an outsider, having come from TV in Sydney to the Southbank studios, I found myself next to Peter at some meeting and, despite being so senior, he asked how I was, respected the confidentiality of my worries, checked on me, mentored and helped me. He was a safe place at a difficult time.

When he retired from the ABC, in June, only because he had to go to palliative care (and wanted to spend time with his beloved wife and daughter, Mary Cotter and Charlotte) he left the door open to those hundreds of us who had known him, worked with him, benefitted from his mentorship, collegiality and great kindness, to use his mobile number to text back and forth, to talk and remember, right up until his death.

Of course, the steadying influence of Peter Ryan was not restricted to his character. He was legendary because of the consistent excellence of his work. Peter Cave moving eulogy speaks of Peter’s body of work: “as a business reporter he had a rare ability to make the machinations of the corporate world understandable to those of us out in the great unwashed... He maintained an enviable contact book, a prodigious filing system, and an almost unbelievable work ethic and thoroughly deserved all the awards and accolades he won”.
These included the Walkley Award for uncovering allegations about the Commonwealth Bank that led to a Royal Commission.

As reported by the ABC, ‘ABC News director Justin Stevens said Ryan “touched the lives of many at the ABC” through his “mentorship, friendship and professionalism”. “He had a profound impact on the lives of Australians and our society”, Stevens said of his “significant legacy”.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said his death was a “devastating loss for Australian journalism and economics”.

Ryan was recognised with the Order of Australia medal for his significant service to journalism in 2022.

Vale Peter Ryan OAM and friend.