Jan Murray (public relations consultant)

Murray contested the seat of Eastwood at the 1978 New South Wales state election for the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party.[1] Although gaining a swing of over 7% in her favour and contributing to a swing away from the Liberal Party of over 13%, Murray was unsuccessful, beaten by incumbent Member for Eastwood, Jim Clough, who secured 51.44% of the vote compared to Murray's 42.52%.[4]

From 1981, Murray was principal of Jan Murray & Associates - a public relations firm that handled a variety of advertising campaigns, such as the Australian Tourism Commission's Shrimp on the barbie advertisements featuring Australian actor Paul Hogan, which was overseen by her then-husband, Minister for Tourism, John Brown.[1]

Murray's firm raised millions of dollars for a re-enactment of the First Fleet Re-enactment Voyage during the Australian Bicentenary celebrations in 1988.[1]

On television, Murray was a regular guest on The Mike Walsh Show and was a panellist on daytime discussion program Beauty and the Beast from 1996 to 2005, where she became known for her frequent volatile arguments with the show's host, Stan Zemanek.[1][5]

Murray published her memoir Sheer Madness: Sex, Lies and Politics in 2010.[6][7][8] In 2012, Murray published a novel called Goodbye Lullaby.[9][10] Murray published juvenile mystery book, NO BRIDGE, NO WAY!: A Glencairn Island Mystery in 2019.[11] Also in 2019, Murray published the autobiographical Pilgrim Souls: A Memoir.[12]

While making a cup of tea in her husband's parliamentary office in 1985, Murray had her hands scalded when boiling hot water was sprayed onto them when a hose connected to the urn came loose.[13] Murray rejected a settlement offer of $18,000 in 1988.[13] In 1993, it was reported Murray had been awarded $100,000 in compensation.[13] Murray criticised some media outlets who she says portrayed her as a villain and implied she was undeserving of the compensation amount.[14] Administration Services Minister Bob McMullan also disputed the reported figure of $100,000 stating that the final costs were still being negotiated but said the amount would not exceed $60,000.[14]

Following initial reports in The Sun, Murray admitted during a 60 Minutes interview in 1987 to having sexual intercourse with Brown on his desk in his office at Parliament House in Canberra in 1983, and leaving a pair of underwear in an ashtray.[15][16] A spokesperson for Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke said while Murray's comments were in "poor taste" they had nothing to do with Brown's ministerial duties.[15] The Canberra Times reported that Murray said she had never meant for her comments to be made public after being assured by a 60 Minutes producer that they would be edited out of the program.[15] Murray's on-screen revelation continues to be referred to occasionally in the Australian media.[17][18][19]

In 1989, Murray and Brown lost a defamation case against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[20] They had attempted to sue the national broadcaster after ABC Television had aired a Quantum program on 9 September 1986 which Murray and Brown believed contained defamatory implications.[21][20] The pair believed the program had implied that Brown had accepted bribes from tobacco companies and that Murray had been party to an arrangement where Brown had accepted bribes.[20] A Supreme Court jury found the program did not convey such imputations and the pair were ordered to pay the court costs of the eight-day trial.[20]