Beloved radio presenter Pete Diskon has died at the age of 75. The veteran DJ passed away from a heart ailment on Tuesday after a brief period in palliative care. His death was confirmed by his wife, Shirley, who said he passed away peacefully at home.
Pete's career spanned decades, beginning more than 50 years ago with training at 3XL in Melbourne, followed by his first job at 2XL in the NSW Snowy Mountains. He worked across Queensland, Tasmania, and New South Wales before settling in the Eurobodalla region, where he spent over a decade on air at ARN's classic hits station 2EC and hosted the morning show in Bega for eight years.
Shirley recalled meeting Pete at a radio station in Mudgee, initially thinking he had 'an ego as big as Sydney Harbour.' She later described him as 'the nicest guy, always keen to have a laugh. I love him to pieces, and I am going to miss him a lot.' She added that he had been fighting for his health for two to three years, so it was 'good to see him out of pain.'
Throughout his career, Pete interviewed numerous musicians and politicians and reported on major events, including the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. After health issues prevented him from running in 2015, he served as a Eurobodalla Shire Councillor from 2021 to 2024. Mayor Mat Hatcher described him as 'approachable and keen to chat, with a real interest in the area's history.'
Tributes have flooded in, with Councillor Rob Pollock OAM calling him 'incredibly caring' and 'genuinely interested in people’s wellbeing.' A close friend posted on Facebook, thanking Pete for the guidance and friendships, saying he was 'such a pivotal part of my early radio career.'
