Truth be told, an honest obit treats readers — and the dead — with respect

Veteran journalist Alan Ramsey's SMH obituary held no punches — just as he held none in his years as a feared and respected columnist.

Charlie Lewis and Georgia Wilkins

Nov 26, 2020

10

To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.

Voltaire

Damien Murphy's obituary for veteran journalist Alan Ramsey, famous for his weekly newspaper column -- a must-read for many years -- and his fearsome temper, is strikingly raw in places, especially given it ran in The Sydney Morning Herald, the paper that employed him for such a long time:

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About the Authors

Charlie Lewis

Reporter @theshufflediary

Charlie writes about industrial relations, politics and culture. Prior to Crikey he worked across government and unions and was a researcher on RN's Daily Planet. He hosted The Alternative History on Triple R, and is an occasional host on Breakfasters.

Georgia Wilkins

Reporter @georgiamareew

Georgia Wilkins is a senior reporter at Crikey. Previously Georgia was a journalist at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. She has also worked as a reporter overseas.