Embattled former broadcaster Alan Jones has paid tribute to his long-time friend and rival radio host John Laws.

“The passing of John Laws requires volumes to do justice to an idiosyncratic individual, with us for almost a century,” Jones wrote on Facebook on Monday.

“For almost three-quarters of that time, ‘the voice’ entertained, cajoled, persuaded, jested, but, above all, spoke with an unapologetic clarity, best summed up by his often personal observation to me, ‘If they don’t like it, they can turn off’. But they rarely did because, whether from adulation or anger, John Laws was compulsive listening.”

Laws, an influential talkback titan who resonated across national airwaves for more than 70 years, died peacefully at his home in Sydney on Sunday, his family said. The man sometimes known as “Golden Tonsils” was 90.

“John pioneered talkback radio which, to him, was the broadcast medium where, while you talked, you also had to listen back and respond. The results bear witness to his extraordinary success,” Jones wrote.

He also touched on the pair’s “so-called rivalry”. 

“Of course, in any game worth its salt, there is always competitive tension; but there was never animosity, always a lot of great stories, many laughs, and enduring respect and friendship,” he wrote.

Jones also referred to the death at the weekend of Labor powerbroker-turned-broadcaster Graham Richardson.

“As I wrote only days ago about Richo, so too with Lawsie. I can’t believe the innings is over. But to continue the cricket analogy, there were a lot of runs, plenty of missed chances, more than a few wasted appeals,” he said.

In 1999, Jones and Laws were caught up in the cash-for-comment scandal, in which major companies were found to have paid them for favourable comment. A particularly bad example involved the big banks, which Laws had bashed until making a secret agreement with them. Suddenly, the banks became, in his view, excellent corporate citizens.

The Australian Broadcasting Authority found 2UE, Laws and Jones had committed 90 breaches of the industry code and estimated the value of deals at $18 million.

Jones is still battling his own ongoing controversy. The 84-year-old faces 25 charges of indecent assault and two of sexual touching against nine people in historical sex offences. He has denied any wrongdoing, with the case due back in court in 2026.

Other tributes for Laws were led by Oscar-winner Russell Crowe. He who described the broadcaster as a “wise mentor, a mischievous mate and a very good friend”.

Crowe, who was Laws’ neighbour for more than two decades, said he said “deeply saddened” at his death.

“However, I am buoyed in the sure and certain knowledge that he led a magnificent life of achievement and adventure and he lived every moment,” he said on social media.

“He worked hard, played harder and loved completely. A legend, in the very best, most Australian, sense of the word. I loved him and I’ll never forget him. Vale John Laws.”

Sydney radio broadcaster Ray Hadley described Laws as a “radio icon”.

“Those who follow him and drink from the well like I have in the past should remember the person who dug that well,” Mr Hadley said.

“And that well was dug by the great John laws, a true pioneer of Australian talkback radio.”

Fellow radio host Kyle Sandilands said Laws was “one of the true originals”.

“You could never mistake him for anyone else,” he said.

Laws, a member of the Australian Media Hall of Fame, attracted two million listeners to his morning radio program at the height of his popularity.

His influence was immense, with former prime minister Paul Keating once saying, “if you could convince John Laws, you could convince Australia”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said Laws’ career was extraordinary, and few broadcasters had left such a deep and lasting mark on Australian media.

Laws had no fewer than four stints at Sydney station 2UE after first joining the broadcaster in 1957. He also worked for 2GB, 2UW and 2SM and had short periods with Network Ten and Foxtel.

“His legacy lies not only in the thousands of hours on air, but in the connection he forged with millions of Australians,” Minns said.

Laws pioneered a unique blend of entertainment, information and opinion, delivered with what became one of the most recognised voices in the country.

His shows were widely broadcast around Australia, reaching people through almost 100 stations, and he was particularly popular in rural NSW.

Laws was said to be the best-paid radio broadcaster in the world at one stage of his career, with 2UE management presenting him with a golden microphone.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Laws was an iconic voice “and so much more”.

“Generations of Australians trusted and respected him for telling it straight, digging deep and giving his guests and his listeners a chance to be heard,” Albanese said on social media.

-with AAP