The MC was Lateline host Tony Jones and there were hilarious speeches by PM's resident wit Mark Colvin, foreign affairs editor Peter Cave and John Tulloh, the head of international coverage. Posters of Max as various movie heroes adorned the walls and a 30-minute tape of tributes, compiled by Janie Lalor, from reporters around the world was played.

Then there was Colvin's impressions of Kerry Packer (welcoming him aboard and asking him for his 'left testicle'), David Flint, Ray Martin and Richard Alston.

Despite years of criticising Uechtritz for alleged bias in ABC news, Alston was sport enough to appear personally in the video presentation welcoming him to the bastion of fairness and balance, the Nine Network.

Diary Media The Australian 13may04