To give you and idea of how he is liked and respected, his last broadcast was live from Melbourne Town Hall, with a capacity of over 1500 to attend and thousands entered the ballot to be there for his last broadcast. I thought about entering the ballot, but then it occurred to me that I would have to get up early to be there before 8.30 and 3 and half hours is a long time to be seated no matter how well entertained. But as I said, thousands wanted to do so and 1500 did.
I listened to most of the entertaining broadcast with a huge guest list of politicians, former and current, voices regularly heard on air with Faine, former broadcasters, the terrific comedian Sammy J along with many others.
Faine has educated me, alarmed me, made me laugh, irritated me at times, made me tear up, made me angry, made me despair (usually about politicians), impressed me with his coverage of 9/11, the terrible 2009 bushfires in our state when so many lost their lives, the Singapore state murder of one of our citizens. This list too is long.
Faine is in the light shirt and Lane is in the black shirt.
It's probably only of interest to listeners of ABC Melbourne, but his final broadcast from Melbourne Town Hall can be found here.
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/mornings/11579606
Good luck Jon, and thanks.
Well, out with old and in with the new, well the not so new Virginia Trioli as Faine's more than adequate replacement. Big shoes to fill, but I can't think of anyone who could do it better. Good luck to you Virginia and I am sure that you will hate me for remembering sports broadcaster Dan Lonergan calling you Trigger Trioli oh so many years ago when you were a radio broadcaster before you television career.