Neil Mitchell pays tribute to John Cain (and why he’ll miss him on Boxing Day)

Neil Mitchell has rated John Cain one of the best premiers in his long career covering Victorian politics.

Neil, who knew Cain for close to 40 years, paid tribute to the former Labor leader on 3AW after his news of his death emerged on Monday.

“He was innovative, he was determined, everybody says he was decent and that’s exactly what he was,” Neil Mitchell said.

“I remember as opposition leader he was one of the first to twig to using Sunday – a quiet news day – to get publicity on the Monday.

“He was a very clever politician.”

Neil revealed he caught up annually with Mr Cain at the cricket.

“I’ll miss him on Boxing Day,” Neil said.

“Every Boxing Day, for about the past 20 years, I’ve been at the cricket and John Cain has been there as an MCC trustee and we would sit, as you do, watching the cricket and talk through most of the session.

“And that meant me listening.

“His perception of modern day politics was fascinating.”

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