Labor icon passes away

JOHNO Johnson, described yesterday by Bill Shorten as “the heart, soul and sinews” of the NSW Labor party, has died at the age of 87.

Born in Murwillumbah in 1930, Mr Johnson was a former president of the state’s Legislative Council. He served in the NSW upper house from 1978 to 1991, winning the respect of both sides of politics.

He was a staunch Catholic and made a papal knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great in 2006. A state funeral for Mr Johnson will be held on August 18.