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James Robert (Jim) North (1932–2000)

This article was published:

North, James Robert ('Jim') (1932-2000) journalist and trade union official 

Birth: 3 February 1932 at Cessnock, New South Wales, son of native-born parents James Owen Marx North (1909-1994), official of Hospital Employees Union, and Jeassica Norma, née Facer (1910-1986). Marriage: 1955 to Judith Kelly, and converted to Catholic faith before marriage. They had four daughters and two sons. Death: 6 December 2000 at Sydney, NSW. Religion: Catholic. 

  • Family moved to Sydney when he was 6 years old. Educated at Drummoyne High School, leaving at age of 15.
  • Trained as a cadet journalist starting as copy boy with Sydney’s Sun newspaper in 1947, working there until 1954. Employed by the Daily Mirror (Sydney) in 1954, developing a life-long interest in industrial and political journalism. Worked for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph in 1959 and moved back to the Mirror in 1961.
  • Worked for the Australian Broadcasting Commission from 1962 to 1973 which included four years summarising events in State Parliament in a weekly radio broadcast.
  • Vice-president of the NSW branch of the Australian Journalists’ Association (AJA) in 1963-66. State president in 1966-1973. North was full-time State secretary from 1973 until he resigned in 1979. He was AJA delegate to the NSW Labor Council and a member of the AJA federal council.
  • A member of the Journalists’ Club, Sydney, he was honorary secretary in 1973-1980, treasurer in 1985-88 and president from 1990 until its merger with NSW Sports Club in 1998.
  • Industrial Relations manager for the Australian Workers' Union from 1988 to about 1992.
  • Worked as a self-employed media and industrial relations consultant. Was a journalist on the Australian 1985-1988.
  • Casual sub-editor with the Mirror and Telegraph newspapers. Editor, Maroubra Messenger, 1992-1995. Sub-editor with Fairfax Community Newspapers until February 2000 (retired).
  • Joined the Australian Labor Party in 1960 and became member of the State executive. Worked in public relations. Was press secretary for NSW sports minister Michael Cleary.
  • Awarded the AJA gold honour badge in 1970. Voted by federal council to become honorary life member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (previously AJA), sadly on the day of his death.
  • Died after a 3-year struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Sources
Sydney Morning Herald, 22 December 2000 p 6; Australian, 20 December 2000 p 12.

Citation details

'North, James Robert (Jim) (1932–2000)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/north-james-robert-jim-34975/text44088, accessed 24 May 2025.

© Copyright People Australia, 2012