Veteran ABC host Peter Thompson has died at 73 after battling Parkinson’s disease.
Thompson died Friday in Sydney, and his family confirmed his death to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday.
He spent roughly 40 years with the ABC, becoming best known for hosting programs including Talking Heads, AM and Radio National Breakfast.
While those programs may be less familiar to American readers, Thompson was a major figure in Australian radio and television and built a long career covering news, public affairs and cultural issues.
Before becoming widely known as a broadcaster, Thompson was also involved in one of Australia’s most famous environmental battles.
Former Australian politician and environmentalist Bob Brown credited Thompson with helping fight a proposed dam on Tasmania’s Franklin River in the early 1980s.
Brown said Thompson played an important role in building public support for protecting the Franklin River wilderness.
According to Brown, Thompson died peacefully at Hornsby Hospital after developing pneumonia.
Thompson had also been living with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that can affect movement, balance and other functions.
His death marks the loss of a longtime broadcaster who spent decades in Australian media and became a respected voice in both journalism and public affairs.
Thompson is survived by his partner, Jane Rowe, and his daughter, Alexa.