Ormsby Wilkins

Ormsby Cecil Wilkins (6 March 1916 - 18 February 1976) was an Australian radio presenter.

He is most notable for being the first person in Australia to take talkback calls when the format was made legal in 1967.

Career Wilkins' career began with the United States Information Service where he worked for a number of years before moving into journalism in 1949. Initially working for The Daily Mirror, he went on to work for The Daily Telegraph and The Argus. Stations 3AK and 2UW had also both tried it in 1963. The commotion of the raid and the arrest of Kelner was clearly audible over the telephone line with Kelner telling Wilkins: "We are in a raid right now by the FBI. I have to hang up. We are all under arrest." This prompted Morosi to launch legal action against 2GB and Wilkins. He was regularly invited to speak at various functions.

Wilkins was outspoken on a number of issues. He openly criticised organisations such as the Melbourne Club for their policy not to admit Jews.

He criticised the Federal Government's decision to allow South Africa to send an all-white football team to Australia for the 1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia. He described Australia's international image being vulnerable due to the White Australia policy and the poor treatment of Indigenous Australians.