'Good night, sweet dreams': Derryn Hinch farewelled at state funeral

Australian broadcaster and former senator Derryn Hinch has been remembered as a prolific journalist with a kind heart.Hinch died aged 82 on July 10 after several years of declining health.At a state funeral service in Melbourne today, his family, friends and colleagues from the entertainment and media realms remembered a rich live, lived to the full.Derryn Hinch holds his official Senate portrait in July 2026. (Facebook: Derryn Hinch)A moving tribute from Hinch's brother, Desmond "Des" Hinch, read by broadcaster and announcer Craig Willis, invited attendees to remember the man once nicknamed the "Human Headline" as a "pesky little brother".Des recalled that in their youth, the brothers separated their bedroom with a line, and that Derryn's side was always a "chaotic jumble" of his possessions.Prized among them was a kaleidoscope.Des then asked everyone at the service to think of "at least one special memory you will keep of my brother"."It could be something he said, something he did, something he wrote. It could be a book, an interview or a recipe."If we could all gather those memories together they would fill that bedroom from our youth."You could look at them through a kaleidoscope, and with each twist of the tube, you as the observer would see the colourful, constantly changing multifaceted mosaic that was his life."His former wife, Australian actress Jacki Weaver, was among those to deliver eulogies.Hinch was famously married five times, and at the end of his life had reunited with former partner Lynda Stoner.Weaver could not attend the state funeral in person, so her eulogy was played as a video.She began by describing herself as "Derryn's third wife and close friend for almost half a century".She paid tribute "sincerely and warmly" to all the women Hinch had loved."I won't mention you individually. We don't have the time," she said."And in the immortal words of Steven Spielberg, 'we're going to need a bigger boat'."Weaver became emotional at the end of her tribute, saying she loved him "from the very start to the very end".She became tearful as she wished him a "good night, sweet dreams".Colleagues remember a loud voice for justice, who was always likeableStarting his career in newspapers in New Zealand, Hinch later moved to Australia, working at numerous newspapers and radio stations.The larger-than-life media figure often told people he was sacked from "16 or 17" of his high-profile jobs.But today, his former colleagues only had fond memories and anecdotes to share.Veteran journalist Ray Martin, who worked as a foreign correspondent for the ABC in New York at the same time Hinch worked in the US city for Fairfax, prompted mourners to give Hinch a standing ovation.Martin said there was nothing subtle about Hinch or his "endless" opinions."He was born with a megaphone for a voice; his typewriter was just about as loud," Martin said."He was brave and brash, with an ego that could light up a small city."He said Hinch was also very likeable, and had written multiple books."Two of them were about Scrabble because he loved words," Martin said."Six were about himself … because he quite liked himself as well," he laughed.Derryn Hinch was a former chair and ambassador of the children's charity, Variety. (Facebook: Variety)A common theme was Hinch's strong sense of justice. The broadcaster became infamous throughout his career for flouting contempt-of-court laws regarding sex offenders.He was convicted three times and even jailed.Tony Tardio, the longtime newsreader at radio station 3AW, where Hinch worked, said there would "never be another one like" Derryn Hinch."He interviewed the famous, locked horns with the powerful, romanced the most beautiful women, wrote millions of words, became a radio star, a television star."Took on big and sometimes unpopular causes, went to jail, was put under home detention, founded a political party, sat in the Australian Senate."Drank too much, was within weeks of death, got someone else's liver, got an extra 16 years of precious life, and had a bloody good time doing it all," he said.During the service there were also musical performances from Rhonda Burchmore, who sang They Can't Take That Away From Me, Bob Valentine, who sang That's Life, and Nikki Nicholls, who performed one of Hinch's favourite songs: You Are So Beautiful.Hinch's goddaughter, Ellie O'Connell, also performed the national anthem at the start of the service, returning to sing an original song for her godfather near its conclusion.