This Month
John Stone, former Treasury secretary, dies aged 96
Former prime minister John Howard has remembered John Stone as a public servant with “superb intellect”.
Australian actor Julian McMahon dies, aged 56
The Home and Away star and son of former prime minister Sir William McMahon passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday.
Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill star, dies at 67
Michael Madsen, the actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, has died.
‘Vibrant, unforgettable’: Bond family pays tribute to late matriarch
The children of Eileen Bond, former wife of late West Australian businessman Alan Bond, say the 87-year-old matriarch “brought everyone along for the ride”.
June
Why the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson was a damaged genius
One of pop’s most gifted and troubled songwriters has died at the age of 82, but his complex harmonies are still adored by millions of fans.
12 essential songs of Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys leader was a brilliant writer, arranger and producer whose ambitions propelled his band – and contemporaries like the Beatles – into the future.
Bill Atkinson, who made computers easier to use, dies
A designer for Apple, he created software that made it possible to display shapes, images and text on the screen and present a simulated “desktop”.
May
New Liberal leader loses mum days after historic win
Sussan Ley’s mother Angela died early on Saturday morning after going into end-of-life care in the NSW border town of Albury.
April
Pope Francis, promoter of more compassionate church, dies
The first Latin American pope worked to make the Catholic Church more inclusive with a focus on poverty and human suffering.
Pope Francis dies of stroke hours after Easter service
Pope Francis, who pushed for a more inclusive Roman Catholic Church during his 12-year papacy, has died. He was 88, and had recently survived double pneumonia.
Pope Francis death: What happens next and when will his funeral take place
The death of a pope triggers a formal and lengthy period of mourning complete with historic rituals that are completed before cardinals gather to elect a successor.
Elusive Val Kilmer, star of Top Gun and Batman, dies
A wide-ranging actor who earned critical praise, he was known to be charismatic but unpredictable. At one point he dropped out of Hollywood for a decade.
March
Autopsy reveals how Gene Hackman and wife died
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease and other factors likely days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of a rare virus spread by mice.
Police probe Gene Hackman’s phone records to determine death
Santa Fe police said they are trying to piece together a timeline of the Oscar-winning actor’s movements leading up to his unexplained death.
February
Pills found as police probe deaths of Gene Hackman and wife
An investigation is underway into the deaths of the 95-year-old actor and his pianist wife who were found dead alongside their dog in their New Mexico home.
10 of Gene Hackman’s best movies
Most people have at least one favourite Gene Hackman performance. The actor, a chameleonic everyman with a movie star’s charisma, was found dead with his wife.
December 2024
Former Liberal minister Kevin Andrews dead at 69
The Liberal Party stalwart died on Friday with his wife Margie by his side, his family announced. He had been battling cancer for the past year.
November 2024
Former attorney-general Tom Hughes, KC, dies aged 101
The former fighter pilot and barrister has been hailed as a leading figure in the history of the Australian legal profession.
Music titan Quincy Jones dies at 91
The multi-talented producer created brilliant hits for artists as diverse as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Snoop Dogg.
Vale ‘one of a kind’ economist Geoff Carmody
Access Economics co-founder Geoff Carmody worked on economic policies for John Hewson, John Howard, Kim Beazley, Mark Latham, Tony Abbott and Steve Bracks.