Mungo Wentworth MacCallum facts for kids

Mungo Wentworth MacCallum (born December 21, 1941 – died December 9, 2020) was a well-known Australian journalist. He wrote and talked about politics.

A famous Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, once described Mungo in a funny way. Mungo came from a family with a long history in Australia. His father, Mungo Ballardie MacCallum, was also a journalist. He helped start television in Australia. Mungo's great-grandfather, Sir Mungo MacCallum, was an important scholar and university leader.

His mother, Diana Wentworth, was related to William Charles Wentworth, an early Australian explorer and politician. Her brother, William Charles Wentworth IV, was a politician too. He was known for his strong views against communism.

Mungo's Early Life and School

Mungo MacCallum was born in Sydney, Australia. He went to a special school called Cranbrook School. This school was close to his home in Point Piper.

After school, he studied at the University of Sydney. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there.

Mungo's Career as a Writer

Mungo MacCallum was known for his strong views in politics. He often supported the Australian Labor Party. He was critical of other major parties, like the Liberal and National Parties. He also didn't agree with very extreme left-wing groups.

Reporting on Australian Politics

From the 1970s to the 1990s, Mungo reported on Australian federal politics. He worked from the Canberra Press Gallery. This is where journalists watch and report on what politicians do.

He wrote for important newspapers like The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. He also worked for radio stations such as 2JJ / Triple J.

Writing from New South Wales

In the 1980s, Mungo moved to Ocean Shores. This town is on the north coast of New South Wales. Even from there, he kept writing about politics.

He wrote for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) program The Drum. He also contributed to The Monthly magazine. Mungo wrote columns for local newspapers like the Byron Shire Echo. He even created cryptic crosswords for The Saturday Paper.

Books by Mungo MacCallum

Mungo wrote several books. One book, Run, Johnny, Run, was written after an election in 2004. His book about his life in Australian politics, Mungo: the man who laughs, was very popular. It was printed many times.

He also wrote How To Be A Megalomaniac or, Advice to a Young Politician in 2002. Another book was Political Anecdotes in 2003. In 2004, he published War and Pieces: John Howard's last election.

A False Report of His Death

On September 8, 2014, something unusual happened. A false report said Mungo had died. This news was shared on Twitter, a social media site.

The mistake was quickly corrected. But within the same hour, a special hashtag, #mungolives, became popular on Twitter. This showed how many people cared about him.

Later Life and Passing

On December 2, 2020, Mungo MacCallum announced he was ending his journalism career. He shared this news on a website called "Pearls and Irritations." He was facing serious health issues.

Mungo passed away on December 9, 2020, at the age of 78.