George Cockerill

Who was George Cockerill?

George Cockerill was an Australian journalist and writer. He was born in Bendigo, Victoria, and worked all his life as a journalist, starting on the Bendigo Independent then as Chief of Staff for the Ballarat Star before moving to the Melbourne Age where he covered the Federation campaign 1898–1901, and Federal Parliament 1901–10. He was their chief of staff and chief leader-writer 1914–26, in which position he was reckoned as one of Australia's most influential writers on fiscal policy, particularly in his support for protectionism.

He was editor of the Sydney Daily Telegraph from 1926-28.

From 1929–39, when he retired because of ill health, he was chief of publicity for the Commonwealth Development and Migration Commission and also leader writer for the Melbourne Herald. He died at Mercy Hospital, Melbourne.

He was president of the Melbourne Press Club from 1909.