Legendary Australian satirist Barry Humphries is set be honoured with a joint state funeral to be hosted by the Victorian, NSW and Commonwealth governments.
Humphries – who died last month in Sydney aged 89 following complications from hip surgery – was born in Melbourne, but called Sydney home for much of his life.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the unusual state funeral arrangements while in Britain, where he will attend the coronation of King Charles.
“There will be a state funeral for Barry Humphries as well, co-hosted by the NSW and the Victorian governments, and the Australian government, my government will be a part of that,” Mr Albanese told UK television channel Talk TV on Wednesday morning (Australian time).
“He (Humphries) is someone who gave an enormous amount of pleasure to generations of Australians,” the Prime Minister said.
“I know how warmly he was regarded by people in Australia and the UK,”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he was not aware of the full arrangements for Humphries’ state funeral.
“I can’t confirm for you where the service will be, or where the funeral will be,” Mr Andrews said at state parliament on Wednesday.
“As far as I know, that’s not settled and we’re still talking to the family.”
Humphries delighted and outraged audiences for more than half a century and was a founding patron of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, leading to it naming its annual prize for most outstanding act after him in 2000.
Mr Albanese declined to weigh in on whether the festival “cancelled” Humphries by stripping his name from its annual award over controversial remarks he made about transgender people.
Mr Albanese instead remembered Humphries as a quintessential Australian character, who brought a sense of Australian larrikinism to his satirical characters of Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone.
“Barry Humphries could only have come from Australia. What Barry Humphries would say is [Australians like] ‘taking the p–s out of ourselves’,” Mr Albanese said.
“He did it so well and for such a long period of time, so it was a big loss for the Australian arts community.”
The NSW government has been contacted for comment.
– with AAP
