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ENTERTAINER Ian "Turps'' Turpie has reportedly died following a battle with cancer.

He was 68.

In April last year, it was posted on his official website that he had been undergoing chemotherapy.

"Ian wishes to thank all the people who have contacted him over the past month or two and provide an update on his progress,'' the website said.

"He has just completed a six week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The last few weeks have been somewhat gruelling, however his spirits are remarkably high and his attitude positive. This is thanks to the love and support of so many fabulous people.

Turpie's brother Paul Turpie from Ian Turpie Management said he could not confirm or deny the report when contacted today.

Fellow game show hosts John Burgess and Larry Emdur took to Twitter to express their condolences.

"Very sad day with the news, we've lost good mate Ian Turpie, I had the honour of calling Turps, mate,our deepest sympathies to Jan & family,'' Burgess said.

"So many jokes to tell, so many yarns to spin, so many game shows to host and never enough time.. RIP Ian "TURPS'' Turpie, best Price host ever.'' Emdur tweeted.

Born in Melbourne in 1943, Turpie's entertainment career spanned over 50 years after he began at the tender age of 10, when he was accepted at the prestigious Hector Crawford Drama School, where he gained recognition as a juvenile actor working in radio and theatre.

He starred in a number of radio programmes alongside Sir Robert Helpmann and June Bronhill, and featured in the top rating series D24, which became one of the most dominant and influential programs in Australian radio history.

Turpie made regular appearances on Bandstand, Time for Terry and The Graham Kennedy Show. In 1964, Turpie played a bank robber in the original episode of the program that was to become a TV phenomenon Homicide.

In the 1980s, Turpie's name became synonymous with the catchphrase "Come on Down'' when he became host of the highly successful, frenzied game show The New Price is Right.

- with AAP

Margaret Whitlam, one of Australia's most influential and well-loved prime minister's wives, has died at the age of 92.
Audio: Remembering Margaret Whitlam AO (AM)

Former prime minister Gough Whitlam has released a statement saying Margaret died this morning.

"She was a remarkable person and the love of my life," the statement said.

"We were married for almost 70 years. She encouraged and sustained me and our four children (Antony, Nicholas, Stephen and Catherine), their families and many other people in a life full of engagement with Australians from all walks of life."

Ms Whitlam had reportedly been in hospital after a fall in Sydney last month. more ... link

VALE Margaret Whitlam

Liberal senator loses breast cancer battle

WA Liberal senator Judith Adams has lost her battle with cancer.

Senator Adams, 69, passed away at Kalamunda Hospital in the early hours of this morning.

She was born in Picton, New Zealand, and was elected as a Liberal senator for Western Australia in 2004.

The WA Liberal Party issued a statement saying she had been a "strong advocate of WA''.

"The thoughts of the Liberal Party are with her family and in particular her sons Stuart and Robert, their partners Anne and Tammy and her grandchildren Taylor and Maelle,'' the statement read.

"Elected as a Liberal Senator for Western Australia in 2004, Judith was involved in securing changes to government legislation in the areas of wheat legislation, the Australian Defence Force drug policy and the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme,'' it said.

"Judith worked and travelled extensively throughout WA and has always been a strong advocate for those living in rural, regional and remote areas.''

"The Liberal Party, Western Australia and the Senate have lost a strong and determined advocate, a person who put up a fight and stood strong for what they believe in. Judith will be sadly missed.''

The Prime Minister also expressed her condolences today.

"Senator Adams, Coalition Deputy Whip, was a representative who brought a depth and breadth of life experience to the Parliament. She had friends across traditional party lines, and her absence will be keenly felt by her colleagues of all political persuasions," Julia Gillard said.

"Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time."

Senator Adams was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and underwent chemo and radiotherapy treatment in Perth.

She served as deputy opposition whip in the Senate and was instrumental in securing changes to government wheat legislation and Australian Defence Force drug policy.

Before entering politics Senator Adams worked as a nursing sister in the New Zealand Territorial Army.

In 1967 she worked during the Vietnam War as a civilian nurse with a New Zealand medical team.

She became a strong advocate for ANZAC Day and for those living in regional and remote Australia.

Senator Adams' husband, Gordon, a former Royal Flying Doctor Service pilot, died in 2008.

Former deputy PM Bowen dies

Former Labor deputy prime minister Lionel Bowen has died at the age of 89.

During his 21 years in federal Parliament Mr Bowen served as a long-standing attorney-general and deputy prime minister in Bob Hawke's government.

He was also a minister under Gough Whitlam.

When Mr Whitlam resigned in 1977, Mr Bowen ran for the Labor party leadership but was defeated by Bill Hayden.

Mr Bowen sponsored four referendums in 1988 to reform the Australian Constitution, but all were defeated.

He retired from politics ahead of the March 1990 election and was succeeded as deputy by Paul Keating.

Before entering federal politics Mr Bowen was the mayor of Randwick. He then spent seven years in the New South Wales parliament.

In 1991 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to politics and the community.

Mr Bowen was born in Ultimo in 1922 and left school at the age of 14, later returning to night school to finish his education and gain a law degree from Sydney university.

He and his wife Claire had five sons and three daughters.

Jimmy Little dies aged 75

Australian singer Jimmy Little has died at the age of 75.

He died at his home in Dubbo in central-west New South Wales from complications from a longstanding condition.

Little's music manager Graham 'Buzz' Bidstrup said his family was planning to release a statement later today.

"It wasn't unexpected, but when it happens it hits you," Bidstrup said.

James Oswald "Jimmy" Little was born on March 1, 1937 at the Cummeragunja Mission in New South Wales.

He was well known both within the Aboriginal and broader Australian music industry for such songs as Royal Telephone and the top 10 single Baby Blue.

Royal Telephone was the first song by an Indigenous performer to top the pop music charts and become a mainstream hit with white audiences.

It was recorded in the 1960s when Aboriginals were not recognised as citizens.

Leading Indigenous academic Dr Jackie Huggins was a close friend of the family and says Little will be sorely missed.

"He was an incredible strength way before his time, and he was a pioneer of Aboriginal music way back in the early day," she said.

"He set us on the map of mainstream music and he was surrounded by a lot of people that loved him and respected a vocal and very intelligent man."

In 2009 Little released a new version of the song. At the time he said the two versions could be regarded as bookends to his long career.

"That to me is also a bookend of me there and me here now - and in the middle it's still the one heart, the one spirit, the one voice and the one personality," he said.

"This was the Jimmy Little of today singing the song of yesterday."

More recently he did an album of '80s rock songs called Messenger, covering such classics as Paul Kelly's Randwick Bells.

Little's music saw him officially recognised as a National Living Treasure, awarded an Order of Australia and inducted into the music industry's Aria Hall of Fame.

He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from Sydney University for his contribution to Aboriginal culture.

Little underwent a kidney transplant in 2004 and then suffered the onset of crippling diabetes.

He also lent his name to the Jimmy Little Foundation, which works to combat the high rate of kidney disease and diabetes among Indigenous Australians.