Veteran Australian broadcaster and former Wallabies rugby coach, Alan Jones, has been arrested in connection with multiple allegations of sexual abuse.
The 83-year-old was taken into custody early Monday morning by New South Wales Police at his apartment in Sydney’s Circular Quay.
According to a statement by the NSW Police, detectives from the Child Abuse Squad executed the arrest as part of an investigation into a series of indecent assault and sexual touching incidents alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2019.
Officers also searched the property following the arrest.
The case, spearheaded by a strike force established in March 2024, aims to investigate the claims against Jones. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described the probe as “very complex” and “protracted,” adding that officers have worked “tirelessly” to build their case.
Commissioner Webb urged other potential victims to come forward. “There’s no such thing as a matter that’s too old to be investigated,” she said.
“There is no better time to come forward than now, and you will be listened to, and we will take your matter seriously.”
Alan Jones is a household name in Australia, known for his influential media career and tenure as coach of the national rugby union team, the Wallabies, from 1984 to 1988.
Before his rise in broadcasting, he was a teacher and political advisor, including serving as a speechwriter for former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
Jones transitioned to radio in the 1980s, becoming a dominant voice on Sydney’s 2GB station, where he commanded one of the largest audiences in the country. He also worked as a TV commentator and retired from full-time broadcasting in 2020, citing health concerns.
Despite his achievements, Jones remains a polarising figure. He has faced backlash for several inflammatory remarks, including his 2012 comment suggesting then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s father “died of shame” and his 2019 statement about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, where he said someone should “shove a sock” down her throat.
Both incidents resulted in widespread public condemnation and advertiser boycotts.
Jones has also been successfully sued for defamation multiple times throughout his career.
While Jones has previously denied the allegations first reported by The Sydney Morning Herald in 2023, NSW Police are expected to provide an update on the investigation later today.
