Neil James Inall OAM (23 August 1933 – 6 September 2024) was an Australian journalist, television presenter and agronomist.
Neil Inall | |
|---|---|
| Born | Neil James Inall 23 August 1933 |
| Died | 6 September 2024 (aged 91) |
| Alma mater | Western Sydney University (PhD, 2015) |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, television presenter, agronomist |
| Known for | Producing and presenting rural affairs radio and television programs |
| Television |
|
Inall is perhaps best known for hosting ABC TV's national rural affairs program Countrywide from 1979 until 1983.[1][2][3]
Career
editInall grew up on a mixed farm in the Hawkesbury Valley in New South Wales and worked for three years as a jackaroo before attending Hawkesbury Agricultural College, where he graduated in 1957.[2][4]
After spending four years working as an agronomist for the New South Wales Department of Agriculture, Inall resigned in January 1962 to join the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a rural officer at 2CR in Orange, New South Wales.[5][2] While working in this role, Inall helped initiate a national Sunday morning radio program called Always on Sunday which debuted in 1970, originally broadcast from Orange and hosted by Alex Nichol.[6][7] Always on Sunday was the precursor to the long-running Australia All Over which has been hosted by Ian McNamara since 1986.[6][7] Reflecting on the program's inception, Inall said in 2015 that he proposed a "more lively" Sunday morning program after realising the current offerings on ABC Radio were "really dull."[8]
While working at the ABC in Orange, Inall made his first foray into television, producing the rural program Signpost which aired on the ABC's regional television stations and ABC TV in Canberra.[9]
Prior to his tenure as the host of Countrywide, Inall anchored a similar national program on ABC TV called Horizon-5 from 1976 until 1979.[10]
When he was dropped as the host of Countrywide by the ABC in December 1983, the decision was widely derided by viewers and media commentators alike.[11][12][13][14][15]
After his departure from the ABC, Inall worked for the Rural Press Group where as the head of the company's electronic media department he was responsible for introducing a videotext service.[16]
In 1984, Inall and Hazel Hawke appeared in the Greening of Australia television campaign produced by the Department of Home Affairs and Environment, where they both encouraged Australians to plant more trees.[17]
After becoming a regular contributor on the Nine Network's Today program in the mid-1980's, Inall commenced hosting Cross Country, a rural affairs program produced at the Prime Television station in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales and aired nationally on the Seven Network from 1989 to 1999.[18][19]
From July 1989 to October 1990, Inall also wrote his own newspaper column for The Sun-Herald called "Ear to the Ground."[20][21]
Away from the media, Inall held a number of roles with various organisations throughout his career including serving as chairman of the Native Vegetation Advisory Council and as a New South Wales committee member of The Crawford Fund.[22][23] He also chaired the committee which held the Feeding Sydney Conference at Western Sydney University in 2014.[24]
In 2015, Inall was awarded a PhD from Western Sydney University for his thesis about John Kerin, a long-serving Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Hawke Government, which was entitled The legacy of John Kerin : a Labor Party man of rural policy based on science.[25][26]
Personal life
editInall married Ann (née Keenan) in June 1968 in Mildura; they had two sons and a daughter.[27][28]
Inall died on 6 September 2024, at the age of 91.[27] Brief tributes were paid to Inall on the ABC's Australia All Over and Landline.[29][30] His funeral was held at St James' Church, Sydney on 16 September.
Honours
editInall was named as the Man of the Year in Australian Agriculture in 1980.[31]
In 1992, Inall was the co-recipient of the Australian Medal of Agricultural Science.[32]
In the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours, Inall was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his service to the farming and rural sector.[33]
In 2017, Inall was awarded a Community Award by Western Sydney University for his service to the Greater Western Sydney area.[24]
References
edit- ^ "Taking the country air". The Age. 29 March 1979. p. 43. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
Compiled in Sydney, it will be presented by former Horizon-5 compere Neil Inall...
- ^ a b c Hooks, Barbara (22 April 1982). "An ugly duckling really blossoms". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 40. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Chayko, Belinda (7 December 1983). "'Bald heads don't seem to work on TV' - ABC deposes veteran compere of Countrywide". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Inall, Neil; Mobbs, Eric; Mobbs, Jocelyn (2007). In the beginning we were all mots : the stories of the 1957 agriculture graduates from Hawkesbury Agricultural College. Agriculture Diplomates of 1957. ISBN 9780646472133. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "Resignations". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 31 August 1962. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ a b Pearce, Melanie; Wong, Luke; Coote, Gavin; Lowther, Nick (26 April 2017). "ABC Central West notches up 80 years of broadcasting as the voice of inland NSW". ABC News. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
Following a push by rural reporters Alex Nicol and Neil Inall in the 1960s and 70s, a rural current affairs program from Orange was debuted nationally. It was called Always on Sunday and was the precursor to Australia All Over.
- ^ a b Woods, Dickson (22 November 1990). "Raising gumboot awareness". The Canberra Times. p. 27. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
Ian MacNamara has been waking up Australia at 5:30am on Sundays with his radio program Australia All Over since 1986... The program which began in 1970 as Always on Sunday with Alex Nichol behind the microphone...
- ^ Lee, Tim (7 November 2024). "70 Years of ABC Rural". Landline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "TV for the farmer". Queanbeyan Age. 9 September 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "Battle for ratings on: Some old favourites, some new". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 February 1976. p. 24. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
Horizon-5 beings on ABN-2 today at 1:10pm and will show daily until Friday. Compered by Neil Inall, it is a national rural current affairs program...
- ^ "ABC mars its image". The Age. 8 December 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Clarke, Anthony (8 December 1983). "Showbiz hopefuls remain popular on 'New Faces'". The Age. p. 2. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
It was also the last program to be hosted by the excellent Neil Inall, who has just been sacked from the compere's job. The ABC believes that at 50, Mr Inall is too old to host 'Countrywide'. Who do they want... Daryl Somers?
- ^ "'Countrywide' protests continue". The Age. 9 December 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Chayko, Belinda (12 December 1983). "The ABC's rural storm clouds gather". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 38. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Carlyon, Les (15 December 1983). "Neil Inall wasn't on The Agenda". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Lamont, Leonie (12 February 1984). "Neil lands safely". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 33. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "The televised greening of Hazel Hawke". The Age. 24 July 2024. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Lewes, Jackie Lee (1 September 1985). "They're at it again". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 53. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
A warm welcome back to Neil Inall who now appears regularly on Channel 9's Today show...
- ^ Robinson, Harry (17 September 1989). "Cross Country - the show for 'real people'". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 172. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Inall, Neil (19 March 1989). "Ear to the Ground: Rain lifts wheat hopes". The Sun-Herald. p. 123. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Inall, Neil (28 October 1980). "And so, it's farewell to 'The Ear'". The Sun-Herald. p. 168. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Woodford, James (1 August 2000). "Call to prosecute farmes for illegal land clearing". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
The letter, signed by the chairman of the Native Vegetation Advisory Council, Mr Neil Inall...
- ^ "Vale Dr Neil Inall OAM". Crawford Fund. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Community Award recipient, Neil Inall". Western Sydney University News Centre. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Inall, N. J. (2015). The legacy of John Kerin : a Labor Party man of rural policy based on science (Doctor of Philosphy thesis). Western Sydney University. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Claughton, David (25 April 2017). "John Kerin's legacy is the end of protectionism and start of sustainable farming and fishing". ABC News. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Neil James Inall". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
INALL, Dr Neil James OAM; 23.08.33 – 06.09.24
- ^ "Personal", The Western Herald, Bourke, NSW, 30 June 1967, p. 1
- ^ MacNamara, Ian (15 September 2024). "Full episode (Sunday 15 September 2024)". Australia All Over. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
7:23am - Ian MacNamara: Some sort of sad news with the passing of a number of friends of the program and people who have been associated with the ABC. Neil Inall, who you may remember used to, amongst other things, fronted Countrywide for many years. When I started working at the ABC, Neil was there doing Countrywide reporting on television. He'd done radio, he'd done lots of things...
- ^ Norman, Jane (15 September 2024). "Rural and regional issues making the news". Landline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
Finally today, we mark the passing of one of Australia's best known rural journalists Neil Inall...
- ^ Morris, Joan (30 November 1980). "Neil Inall can look back and smile". The Canberra Times. p. 16. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ "Australian Medal of Agricultural Science Winners". Ag Institute. 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
1992 - John Irwin, Andrew Inglis AM, Neil INall OAM
- ^ "Award: 1141127". Australian Honours Search Facility. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2024.