Live: Derryn Hinch to be farewelled at state funeral in Melbourne

Derryn Hinch, the outspoken — and at times controversial — broadcaster and former senator, is being farewelled at a state funeral service in Melbourne.Hinch, who spent decades in the media, died at the age of 82 on July 10.Follow our live coverage of the service.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:08pmMon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:08pmLongtime friend opens serviceHinch's longtime friend Darren James has opened the state funeral.He's describing Hinch as a relentless fighter and voice for those who didn't have one."To his friends and family, he was extremely kind-hearted, he was funny, he was generous and he simply had the best stories and enjoyed life," James said.He says Hinch was his mentor, best mate and daily Wordle companion.Darren James (ABC News)Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:05pmMon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:05pmMore on today's serviceDerryn Hinch's coffin is draped in the Australian flag and adorned with red roses.Long time friend Rhonda Burchmore will perform They Can't Take That Away From Me.The MC is radio broadcaster Darren James, a friend of Hinch.(ABC News)Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:02pmMon 20 Jul 2026 at 12:02pmToday's service has begunDerryn Hinch's state funeral is beginning.State and federal MPs, media colleagues, family and friends are in attendance at the service in Port Melbourne.We'll hear from Hinch's brother, Desmond, as well as former media colleagues including veteran journalist Ray Martin.His long-term executive assistant, Annette Philpott, and long-time friend and colleague Darren James will bring the service to a close.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:58amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:58amSteve Vizard says the service will be a celebration of lifeComedian Steve Vizard was among the first to arrive at today's service.Vizard famously parodied Hinch on the TV comedy show Full Frontal and coined the phrase that became synonymous with Hinch: "Shame! Shame! Shame!"Ahead of the service, he said his and Hinch's lives have been entangled for 50 years."What a life lived," he said."It's going to be a day full of memories, for me particulary, and ultimately the final shame, shame shame".He said he hoped today would be a celebration of Hinch's life.Steve Vizard ahead of the state funeral (ABC News)Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:45amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:45amA decades-long career in the spotlightBorn in New Zealand, Hinch began his long career at The Taranaki Herald in 1960, at the age of 15.Just a few years later, he moved to Australia, taking on the police round at The Sun newspaper in Sydney.Over the next six decades, he landed roles in nearly every arm of the media … and often told people he was sacked from "16 or 17" of them.Speaking at Hinch's 2018 induction into the Australian Media Hall of Fame, his contemporary Ray Martin observed that the media legend "pulled off more front-page scoops than any other compatriot", during his time working for Fairfax in New York.Martin recalled being taken to task by his own ABC editors for not having as many contacts inside the UN as Hinch, or the same headline-grabbing quotes from within its corridors."Whenever I challenged the veracity of some of those diplomatic sources — as I occasionally did — Hinch's retort would be to ask somewhat rhetorically, 'Listen, did your story lead the bulletin? Did it make the front page of the First Edition? No? Well, end of section, Sunshine.'"You can read more about Hinch's decades-long career in our obituary.Mon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:36amMon 20 Jul 2026 at 11:36amThanks for joining usVeteran broadcaster and former federal senator Derryn Hinch will be honoured with a state funeral in Melbourne in shortly.The outspoken, and at times controversial, broadcaster died earlier this month at the age of 82.He was known for his distinctive broadcast style, as well as his law-breaking crusades to expose sex offenders.