Wallace (Wally) Brown was one of the most respected and long-serving members of the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery. He passed away today aged 76.
He came to Canberra to cover national politics for Brisbane's The Courier-Mail in 1961 and remained in the position until 1996. He continued to write a regular column for the Queensland daily until 1999.
He became an institution in Canberra, covering the tenure of 10 Prime Ministers.
He was a shining example to young journalists in the gallery and was respected by both sides of politics. His reporting was insightful, well-sourced and sometimes provocative but always with an eye to domestic affairs in Queensland.
Wally maintained an even-tempered outlook in a highly-charged environment. He reported on much of Australia's modern political history and will be remembered as one of Australia's finest press gallery journalists.
I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Valerie and three children.