Ray Martin has revealed which party will get his vote in the upcoming federal election as he rips into Scott Morrison’s ‘incompetent’ government.
The five-time Gold Logie winner spoke to columnist and author Peter Fitzsimons last week who noted very few would know how Martin leaned politically.
‘Do you have strong political passions one way or the other?,’ Fitzsimons probed, to which Martin replied: ‘Very strong’.
The 77-year-old referenced Gough Whitlam’s 1972 ‘It’s Time’ campaign and told Fitzsimons he thought ‘it’s time again’.
‘I have interviewed every Prime Minister since Bob Menzies and I think this is the most incompetent government we’ve had. It’s time,’ Martin said.
Ray Martin (pictured with Scottish singer Sheena Easton in 1991) has revealed which party will get his vote in the upcoming federal election
‘I have interviewed every Prime Minister since Bob Menzies and I think this is the most incompetent government we’ve had. It’s time,’ Martin (pictured with his wife Dianne) said
The legendary TV star (pictured with Terri Irwin in 2006) revealed he had copped a fair amount of criticism after revealing he was 1/16th Aboriginal
Whitlam’s successful election campaign toppled the Liberal party out of power for the first time in 27 years.
Speaking to the Sun-Herald, the legendary TV star also revealed he had copped criticism for speaking publicly about being 1/16th Aboriginal, adding he does not identify as Indigenous.
Martin explained that after some digging he discovered his great-great-grandfather had set up a life with a Kamilaroi woman outside of Gunnedah in northeast NSW.
‘I’m very proud of it and I wrote a piece in the Women’s Weekly about that and the hit-back [was ferocious] that a percentage of my blood was Aboriginal,’ he said.
For the last 40 years the journalist has worked to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal people.
He said this push for reconciliation began years before he found out about his native heritage and said he had been motivated by ‘shameful’ Aboriginal policy.
The legendary interviewer said his best guest was Sir Donald Bradman while his worst was athlete Michael Johnson – who he almost came to blows with.
The original hosts of A 60 Minutes Ray Martin, George Negus and Ian Leslie at the Nine Celebrates 50 years of television event in 2006
Martin (pictured with his son Luke in 2014 ) revealed Sir Donald Bradman was his all-time favourite guest and athlete Michael Johnson was his worst
Journalist Ray Martin is pictured with former prime ministers Bob Hawke and John Howard
The TV star previously told Stellar Magazine he has what he calls his, ‘holy trinity’ – three of the most amazing blokes I’ve ever met’.
‘Sir Donald Bradman. I’m a cricket nut… it was like I’d died and gone to heaven,’ he said referring to the legendary batsman, who passed away in 2001.
He also listed, ‘Professor Fred Hollows and Sir David Attenborough, who became good friends of mine, which doesn’t happen much in our business.’
Ray also revealed screen legend Audrey Hepburn had flirted with him during their interview – a story which left his wife, Dianne Martin, making a vomiting gesture as he retold it during the interview.
According to Martin, the interview took place in the early ’90s when Audrey would have been in her sixties.
‘Audrey was 63 and exquisitely beautiful – the eye sparkle, the cheekbones, and that extraordinary smile. This aura you can’t explain. I was conscious that I was in the company of a genuine superstar.
Martin (pictured with Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell in 2008) was one of the original hosts of the hit program 60 Minutes
Martin is pictured with former John Howard and former opposition leader Kim Beazley in 2001
‘Out she came, and I didn’t know whether to shake her hand or kiss her cheek. But as she sat down, she tapped my knee and said, “It’s never too late,”‘ he said.
The TV star is best-known for hosting the programs The Midday Show, A Current Affair and 60 Minutes during his colourful 50-year career.
60 Minutes was not an instant ratings winner but once established on the television landscape was almost compulsory viewing at 7.30 on Sunday nights.
Throughout the 1980s reporters were flown around the globe on a seemingly unlimited budget to cover wars, interview presidents and prime ministers, and profile the planet’s biggest entertainers.
In the process, the correspondents – at first George Negus, Ian Leslie and Ray Martin, then Jana Wendt – were to be forever known as rock stars of Australian journalism.
