But like Hinch,Mitchell had print in his veins — a formerAge reporter who covered Trades Hall when Bob Hawke was a union leader,later editor of the afternoon institutionThe Herald,he was driven more by news sense than a taste for the sensation and splutter of an Alan Jones or Ray Hadley.
He was 36. John Cain was premier,Bob Hawke was PM,Diana and Charles were still married,there were three TV networks plus Aunty and SBS,no internet,you could smoke pretty much where you wanted to,and more than a million Melburnians read a newspaper — a paper one — every day. Collingwood hadn’t won a flag in 29 years. Pat Cash was Wimbledon champion.
He’s now 72,with much water under the bridge.
He has been a ratings giant,and the foil of nine premiers and nine PMs. He has enraged progressives — so much so that Daniel Andrews boycotted his show — but irked conservative leaders,too:Jeff Kennett threw a glass of water over him,and Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison avoided his studio. In a polarised era,critics have often dumped him in the knee-jerk conservative barrel — he’s been assumed variously to be a foe of lockdowns (not true);vaccines (he wasn’t);and same-sex marriage (nope,he supported that,too.)
Albanese was kinder than some of his predecessors on Friday:“One of the things we can all agree on is that the pace of change is a bit too fast sometimes … but you’ve been a constant in people’s lives. You are a person of great integrity and you have my respect and my best wishes.”
Mitchell’s last show also held signs of a thaw with Spring Street. Former Labor premier John Brumby called in with some affectionate memories,and at 10am Mitchell revealed the identity of a mystery government guest:Deputy Premier Ben Carroll,the first cabinet member to appear on his show in 18 months.
“I first listened to you in 1993. I was at home waiting for my VCE results,” Carroll,now the education minister,said on Friday morning,after explaining why he was breaking the Victorian Labor boycott of his show.
“I came on first and foremost to congratulate you on what you’ve achieved as a voice for Melbourne,what you’ve achieved for many Victorians from all backgrounds… you’ve been a strong advocate for our state and our people.”
And then,as the clock ticked towards noon,Mitchell was done.
“That’s it,” he said at 11.59.
“There’s nothing profound to finish. I’ve said most of it. I do want to thank you for your trust and for your patience and for your advice and for your criticism and for your commitment. I promised I wouldn’t be shedding a tear,and I don’t think I will,because I’m really delighted with the time I’ve had,and I’m delighted with what’s ahead.
“Take care. You really have given me 36 years of a life I never could have expected in my wildest dreams. So like me or loathe me,thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for talking. Thank you for caring. Thank you for trusting. Thank you for having a go and for helping us to have a go. Thank you for being there. Take care.”
Mitchell is at pains to stress he is not retiring. This morning he flagged ongoing podcasting,radio and TV spots and a regular newspaper column.
“I feel flattered and embarrassed and exhausted really,” he toldThe Age after the show.
“I’m not comfortable with that sort of thing,but it was very reassuring to think that we’ve hit the nail on the head a few times. It was a very warm reaction and that’s nice.”
In the short term,he is taking his traditional summer break.
“I’ll decide in the new year how much I want to do. I want to do a different pace. I’ve lived by deadlines for so long,half-hour deadlines or newspaper deadlines. If I’m doing a podcast,I want to sit down and spend a day researching it properly.”
What about a book?
“Nobody’s interested,” he said earlier on air. “I’m an observer,not a participant.”
After 36 years as a lightning rod and agenda-setter in the city and the nation,many would argue with the modesty of that assessment.
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