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Alan Jones dominated the Australian radio airwaves with a rare degree of energy for greater than three many years, but managed to maintain his private life largely personal.
Jones retired from internet hosting 2GB’s radio breakfast present in Could 2020, however an explosive report this week by the Sydney Morning Herald has threatened to shatter the broadcaster’s legacy.
The report included allegations the talkback radio king used his place to ‘prey on a lot of younger males, indecently assault, grope, or inappropriately touching them with out their consent’ throughout his high-profile profession.
Jones’ legal professionals Mark O’Brien Authorized mentioned in response to questions from the SMH: ‘Our consumer denies ever having indecently assaulted the individuals referred to in your letter, and your suggestion that he has is scandalous, grossly offensive and significantly defamatory of him’.
The legislation agency later added it had already issued a considerations discover as a primary step to defamation proceedings.
‘Within the quick time out there since publication we’ve got obtained substantial factual data which contradicts and refutes the alleged sample of conduct by Mr Jones.’
Each day Mail Australia explores the exceptional profession of the 82-year-old in addition to what is understood in regards to the broadcaster’s personal life.
Broadcaster Alan Jones has been accused of indecent assault by 5 males in an explosive newspaper report – claims which he denies (pictured enjoyable after his retirement from 2GB)
Is Alan Jones homosexual?
Alan Jones has by no means spoken about his sexual orientation and has by no means come out as homosexual.
In 2015 when a caller to his radio present instantly requested him: ‘Alan, are you a gay’ he deflected answering the query by altering the topic.
That very same yr, when Australia was debating whether or not to permit same-sex marriage, Jones took a stance in favour of the proposal.
On his 2GB radio present he delivered what was initially a rant in opposition to then-Labor chief Invoice Shorten, calling him ‘bereft of concepts’, however his speech morphed into an impassioned plea supporting Labor’s intention to legalise same-sex marriage.
‘I’ve mentioned it earlier than, I do not perceive the complexity of it … we’re not telling anybody what to consider,’
‘It’s 2015. On this situation we should respect the view of others.
‘In a really tough world, which is usually impersonal, uncaring, ruthless and generally brutal in private relationships, love can show elusive.’
‘And my view is that when folks discover love they need to be capable of have a good time it. They usually should not be discriminated in opposition to in keeping with the character of that love,’ he mentioned.
‘To disclaim folks the popularity for a relationship which relies on love is to disclaim in my view one in every of humankind’s most simple, however as I mentioned elusive, qualities.’
How did Alan Jones get into radio?
Jones was raised on a dairy farm in Oakey, Queensland and labored because the English and French grasp at Brisbane Grammar Faculty after he completed his personal schooling, together with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Queensland.
Whereas working at Brisbane Grammar he was additionally a tennis, athletics and rugby coach.
By 26, he was the Senior English Grasp at The King’s Faculty in Parramatta the place he coached the primary XV rugby workforce however resigned in 1975 after a gathering with the varsity principal.
He then moved to Canberra the place he tried his hand at politics later that yr with a failed preselection bid for federal parliament within the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro.
Jones then went on to handle a small NSW nation airline in his 30s.
In 1976-77 he travelled to England the place he obtained a instructing diploma from Oxford. Whereas there he additionally gained a College Blue for tennis.
He then moved to Sydney and returned to politics.
He was pre-selected for the Liberal Occasion to run for the inner-Sydney seat of Earlwood throughout a byelection in 1978, however he failed. He additionally missed out the next yr at a State election.
In 1979 he grew to become a speech author for then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, earlier than working for the NSW Employer’s Federation after which transferring into his radio profession.
Throughout his early years in radio he additionally coached Rugby Union, main the Australian facet to a legendary drought-breaking 1986 Bledisloe Cup win in opposition to New Zealand.
In 1986 he was additionally nominated for the Federal seat of Wentworth in Sydney however was a late withdrawal from the poll.
By the mid Nineteen Nineties, Jones had the biggest radio viewers in Sydney and presumably the nation, when together with regional and interstate transmissions.
Jones dominated the airwaves for many years throughout his profession at 2GB after working at colleges and having fun with a celebrated Rugby Union teaching stint
Is Alan Jones married? Does Alan Jones have a associate?
Jones has by no means married, staying a bachelor all through his grownup life.
He has additionally hardly ever even talked about his courting life or relationships and, regardless of attending high-profile social occasions, has by no means been pictured with dates.
The broadcaster doesn’t have any identified kids.
Does Alan Jones have kids
Alan Jones doesn’t have any kids of his personal; nevertheless, he holds a deep affection for his niece, Tonia Taylor. Tonia is the daughter of Alan’s solely sister, Colleen Bayley.
Not solely does Tonia work alongside Alan, however she additionally lives with him. In 1999, when Tonia received married and have become a mom, Alan demonstrated his generosity by establishing a home for her on his Fitzroy Falls property.
Alan Jones doesn’t have any kids of his personal; nevertheless, he holds a deep affection for his niece, Tonia Taylor (pictured left)
Jones was a champion tennis participant in his 30s whereas learning at Oxford College (pictured in 2020)
What produce other folks mentioned in regards to the allegations in opposition to Jones?
Former Prime Minister John Howard mentioned: ‘Alan Jones is an effective pal of mine. I’ve no data of the issues canvassed within the Sydney Morning Herald.’
Different former Prime Ministers Tony Abbot and Scott Morrison declined to remark when approached by The Each day Telegraph, as did different mates tennis ace Mark Philippoussis, movie star accountant Anthony Bell and stud proprietor John Messara.
Household pal and protégé of Jones, Jake Thrupp, has additionally declined to touch upon the allegations.
Thrupp labored as Jones’ private assistant after transferring to Sydney from Tweed Heads, the place his mom managed a few of Jones’ Queensland properties.
Alan Jones tutors his staffer Jake Thrupp at tennis in June 2020 per week after he resigned from his radio present the dominated the airwaves of Sydney and Brisbane
The younger man was one in every of many workers in Jones’ ‘in home household’ who the broadcaster paid tribute to on his last 2GB program
An beginner surfer and politics ‘nut’, Thrupp has since co-founded Australia Digital Holdings which aired Jones’ post-2GB talkshow.
Thrupp beforehand informed the Sydney Morning Herald he was upset that gossip columns in Sydney had prompt his relationship to Jones was one thing extra.
‘It was one thing that was clearly utterly unfaithful. I feel it is wonderful how in Australia folks battle to grasp that, sure, folks have patrons. It is really a quite common factor.’
‘It is clearly upsetting that individuals put their minds within the gutter … I struggled with that as a result of I had members of the family studying these things… They knew he had taken me beneath his wing and so they have been grateful… but right here was this reporting the place it was like ‘oh, there should be one thing happening’.
‘I’ve moved on. You may’t not be thick-skinned on this trade and metropolis.’
Former Australian Take a look at cricketer Brett Lee mentioned he had reached out privately to Jones.
‘What I can say is I’ve identified Alan Jones for near 30 years as my mentor, as somebody I can … he is been by way of the ups and downs of my skilled profession. A really shut household pal,’ Lee mentioned.
‘In these 30 years the unwavering assist he is given me, the way in which he is so loyal, he is simply an absolute true gentleman, and that is all I can say. He is been incredible to me. He is helped so many individuals that not anybody even is aware of about.’
The broadcaster welcomed his retirement with the likes of cricketers Brett Lee and Shane Watson, posting that they have been ‘celebrating good instances! #offthelongrun’
Sky Information host Peta Credlin mentioned Jones was a ‘good pal’ whereas legendary broadcaster John Legal guidelines mentioned he was ‘shocked’ by the allegations.
Former 2GB colleague and one of many solely different broadcasters to rival Jones’ affect, Ray Hadley, claimed his relationship to Jones was ‘severed’ after one of many males making allegations in opposition to him detailed them to Hadley privately years earlier.
‘I regard this man not as an attention-seeker or somebody who seeks notoriety, however fairly instantly the other,’ Hadley mentioned.
‘The behaviour he was alleging was undesirable sexual advances from an individual in energy, that individual being his boss, Alan Jones.’
The person’s allegations embody that he was repeatedly groped on the penis by Jones whereas driving him again to his Round Quay residence as a junior worker and that he was cornered and kissed whereas in an elevator with him.
Jones’ controversies
The broadcaster has by no means been one to draw back from controversial opinions, although has mentioned he dislikes the time period ‘shock jock’.
He as soon as mentioned former New Zealand Prime Miniter Jacinda Ardern ought to have a sock shoved down her throat.
He mentioned on air: ‘I simply wonder if Scott Morrison’s going to be totally briefed to shove a sock down her throat.’
He additionally mentioned ‘now I hope Scott Morrison will get powerful right here with a couple of backhanders’ and ‘I hope he goes for the throat this morning’.
He was later discovered to have breached broadcasting decency guidelines by Australia’s media watchdog.
He was additionally scolded by the watchdog for making false assertion about local weather change.
‘The factual error and inconsistent data have been used to incorrectly painting that Australia generates extra of its power from renewables than New Zealand,’ the Australian Communications and Media Authority mentioned.
Again in 2012, Jones misplaced a lot of his present’s advertisers after he was secretly recorded at a Sydney College Liberal Membership dinner saying former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s father ‘died of disgrace’ as a result of she ‘lies each time she stands for parliament’.
He has additionally been known as out for utilizing racial slurs on his present and he as soon as appeared in blackface at a Rugby occasion within the Eighties.
On then-Finance Minister Mattias Cormann’s loyalty throughout the 2018 Liberal management problem he mentioned:
‘The n****r within the woodpile right here, if one can use that expression – and I am not going to yield to individuals who inform us that sure phrases within the language are forbidden – the one who’s enjoying arduous to get is Mathias Cormann.’
He used the identical expression on a number of events to explain the Commonwealth in 2007, Australia’s nationwide cricket selector Greg Chappell in 2011, Malcolm Turnbull in 2012, and Queensland’s then-deputy premier Jeff Seeney in 2013.
He additionally defamed Aboriginal chief Pat Dodson by saying he ‘exploited his aboriginality’ and ‘had his snout within the public trough’.
