Frank Devine (who died today aged 77) was one of that remarkable group of bright young men who came from out of the West in early 1950’s to have a big influence on Australian public life.
He was not as domineeringly ambitious as Bob Hawke, as sharply incisive as John Stone nor as erratically brilliant as Max Newton. But like those Perth contemporaries, Frank Devine was to be a contributor to the way his country developed.
Years as a foreign correspondent in London and Tokyo and then in the United States as an editor for the Readers Digest had rid him of any Perth provincialism.
His mind was open to absorb the ideas of the world and his return to Australia to become editor of The Australian signalled that while the paper was going to continue on a conservative course, it would for certain be serious and well argued.
He found room for those of us with different viewpoints — provided our case was well made.
He was an editor with a hand that guided rather than wielded a big stick; one who improved your words and message rather than distorted them.
There was a sense of unfairness among many of us when the Murdoch excursion into the airline business via Ansett created circumstances where he departed as editor. But Frank Devine resisted the many opportunities to vent his spleen at this example of the sometimes unfairness of life.
He continued almost to the end to write columns in his measured and engaging way that were always a delight to read even when you did not always agree with his views. He will be missed.
I never agreed with Frank but read him often. Condolences to his family.
Such a sharp, intelligent style with attractive self-deprecation, gradually tending to become fire-side chats – but never too comfortable. Certainly had his position one not infrequently disagreed with. But well worth the read. Farewell old mate.
Frank may have ‘come from out of the West’ but he came from out of the East first, he was Kiwi!
No, he was blacklisted by peak green groups in the mid 1990ies according to the PR officer of one told to me directly at that time – a big taboo apparently, because he was atrociously biased towards unfettered capital, and exuded malicious bias accordingly.
The kind of bloke who would call the Franklin river a leech ridden ditch. A 19C man in the 20C let alone the 21C, and the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Time is the master of us all, and no he will not be missed.
Thanks, Richard, for a sensitive, appropriate and moving tribute to Frank. I first knew him more than 40 years ago when he was the Melbourne Herald corr in Tokyo. Later I had many contacts with him when he was editor of the Oz. He was a warm, generous personality. True his columns could have been the catechisms of a conservative cardinal but no doubt he died at peace with the world.