A cartoon has a life expectancy of about four seconds to Warren Brown's way of thinking.
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"People turn the page, you can see the cogs turning, they get it, they smile and that's all it needs to be. But you try to encapsulate that spirit of the story of the day," he said.
Making people's day with a laugh is more than enough for The Daily Telegraph cartoonist and Goulburn district resident. Mr Brown has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours List, recognising his "significant service to media as a cartoonist and to military history."
READ MORE: Warren draws on experience
He is one of just 177 people to receive the honour in this year's awards.
The News Corp cartoonist of 40 years, blessed with a love of writing and military history, initially thought the advisory email from the Governor General's office was spam.
"It was a real shock but I'm really honoured, delighted and grateful...It's one of those things that happens to other people who do worthwhile things," Mr Brown said.
He has a long list of credits to his name, including Editorial Cartoonist of the Year five times. He won the Stanley Award for best political cartoonist in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Mr Brown has also hosted numerous military commemorations, including Anzac Day at Gallipoli 10 times. He presided over the National Commission for the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary in 2010 and served on the 2012 Anzac Centenary Taskforce.
He also presented and co-starred in the 2006 four-part documentary series, Peking to Paris and is a regular ABC guest on Insiders, as well as a radio host.
In between commitments, Mr Brown has churned out Australian historical novels - Francis Birtles- Adventurer and Lasseter's Gold and participated in a host of fundraising, charitable and military history events.
Circumstances propelled him into a varied life. Mr Brown initially considered teaching but became a copy boy at News Limited in Sydney instead. He was soon writing but someone noticed he "could draw a bit." A traineeship in the art department was soon followed by a cadetship.
After a few years at Fairfax's Illawarrra Mercury, Daily Mirror cartoonist, Frank Benier noticed his work. He scored the gig after Mr Benier retired and went on to become fulltime cartoonist at the Mirror and its successor, The Daily Telegraph for 40 years.
He describes cartoonists as "sit down comedians," honing a craft that's harder than appears.
"Every day is a challenge," Mr Brown said.
"Cartoons can be very powerful thing...The Telegraph is a very aggressive newspaper and regards itself as the voice of Sydney. It does it very well and I love all that. You can have so much fun."
Politicians either love or loathe the cartoons. Mr Brown said he received a kick out seeing 'punters' in a Goulburn pub laughing over his works. Conversely, they could be poignant, like one he penned recently of politician and former Major General, the late Jim Molan.
A former Army and Air Force reservist, Mr Brown said his interest in military history was fuelled by his father, who flew 31 Lancaster bomber missions over Germany as part of 460 Squadron in World War Two. His grandfather also served in the 30th battalion on the Western Front in WWI and suffered the effects of chlorine gas for years.
"I've always had a tremendous respect for veterans and what they've been through, which I couldn't possibly imagine," Mr Brown said.
Hosting Anzac Day at Gallipoli was a pinnacle. While there he interviewed an elderly Turkish woman who had witnessed the Anzac landings as a child. Every day she had worn the ear-ring her soldier father had given her as he lay dying in hospital after the invasion. Yet she held no hatred.
"That's something that will stay with me forever," Mr Brown said.
He's spoken before large crowds at Gallipoli, including the then Prince Charles and Prince Harry. In 1995, he organised a convoy of WWII veterans from Alice Springs to Darwin as part of Australia Remembers and watched as elderly men were reduced to tears after being feted by school children for their service.
Amid a busy schedule, Warren said he was happy to be living in the Goulburn district. He and wife, Tanya, and son, Oliver, moved to Taralga from Sydney 14 years ago. For the last 10 years, they've lived at Middle Arm.
"I just love it," he said.
"I adore Goulburn and have made lifelong friends here. They are really good honest friends and living in the country does that for you."
- Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them now at www.gg.gov.au.
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