John Saxon Tingle, the father of high-profile ABC journalist Laura Tingle and founder of the Shooters Party, has died.
Tingle announced the 90-year-old’s death on Twitter on Saturday saying: “Love you Dadda.”
On Instagram, she added: “Isn’t Saxon just the best name?”, registering her “profound gratitude and luck in having him in my life.”
Born in the eastern-Sydney suburb of Edgecliff in November 1931, Mr Tingle founded the Shooters Party in 1992. He was also its vice-chairman until 1995.
His career started in journalism, where he worked as a broadcaster and news editor for 2QN Deniliquin from 1949 until 1951.
He later joined the ABC, where he stayed until 1968, returning in 1977 to present Friday Night Forum.
Throughout the 1970s he worked in radio for a number of networks including 2SM and 2GB in Sydney.
From 1992 to 1995 he was director of current affairs at radio 2CH.
Today, Tingle attributed her choice in career and success to her father.
“Apart from all else of course he was my greatest urger-on, fan and critic in my professional life and so proud I had followed him into journalism,” she wrote on Instagram.
“He taught me at 15 what was the most important question to ask, cheered me on to tackle the small and mean people in politics, and to not be afraid to celebrate the transformative people and moments it sometimes gives us.
“And to always report what you believe to be true.”
In 2019, Mr Tingle, a resident of Wauchope in the NSW Mid North Coast, called himself an “accidental politician” in an interview with the Illawarra Mercury.
“I was 63 looking to retire to Port Macquarie, I had a block of land and without telling me they put me at the top of the ballot and I got elected,” he said.
“It was a party that was never intended to be with someone elected who didn’t know he was standing for parliament.”
Mr Tingle was father to Peter, Sally and Laura.
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