Acclaimed author, activist and journalist, Tony Heard, died on Wednesday at the age of 86.
According to a statement penned by his wife, Jane, and his children - Vicki, Janet, Pasqua and Dylan - Heard, whom they affectionately referred to as "Pops", died "peacefully" in the morning after a short illness.
"Tony was a fiercely independent thinker, who has left an indelible footprint in journalism and beyond, with a lifelong commitment to non-racialism, media freedom and social justice.