John Challis

Activist

At 80 years of age, John Challis is the oldest member of the Same Same 25. He’s devoted years to lobbying for the recognition of same-sex couples for commonwealth superannuation death benefits, to ensure that his partner would be provided for should he die first. In 2006 he launched a letter writing campaign to push the Howard Government on the issue. The campaign achieved nothing, until John did a front page interview in the Sydney Star Observer, which was seen by Liberal MP Warren Entsch. The MP then began referring to Challis in the party room and in discussions with the PM, using him as the face of same-sex discrimination.

So, how does Challis feel about the recent removal of same-sex discrimination from commonwealth laws?

“I feel a great sense of relief,” says Challis. “Now I don't have to do anymore interviews, or write anymore letters to PMs and Ministers, or submissions to inquiries or emails. But I suppose I'll be at it again lobbying for the Charter of Rights which the conservatives are all opposing. It keeps my brain active and is more interesting than doing crossword puzzles.”

John’s always been a bit of a pot stirrer. Back in the 60s he presented an interview on ABC television with an American nun, Mother Gorman, called "X = God". It caused enormous controversy amongst Catholics and as such it was repeated three times.

“Being accused of being a heretic by a conservative Catholic archbishop was a badge of honour! Besides it was great publicity for the program. It was just one of the steps in my break with the Church and move away from any form of organised religion. I'm very concerned with stopping the churches and religious conservatives from imposing their beliefs and standards on the rest of the community. The same-sex reforms would have happened years ago if politicians, both Labor and Coalition, hadn't been so frightened of offending the conservative Christian lobby.”

So does he regard himself as influential?

“If the effects of what I've done flow onto others, then I suppose that means I have been influential, but basically, I started this superannuation campaign so that it would benefit my partner of 40 years and make sure he was provided for.”

Challis also has a strong interest in the philosophy of science, and during his time as a science journalist with the ABC he was executive producer for the live broadcasts of the first moon landings.

“I had a direct line from my office in William Street via Tidbinbilla Tracking Station to the moon. All I had to do was to flick a switch and I could hear the astronauts talking to each other and to mission control in Houston. It was an amazing feat of communication - now we have the internet, the world wide web the whole world of virtual reality!”

By Christian Taylor