In 1951 , Macartney was appointed managing editor of West Australian Newspapers and chief editor of '' The West Australian '' , replacing the long-serving Charles Patrick Smith . He left the latter post in 1956 , but in 1962 was appointed WAN managing director , serving in that position until 1969 . During his involvement with WAN , which had a virtual monopoly on the newspaper market in Western Australia , Macartney largely had his papers adopt right-wing positions , advocating free enterprise policies and supporting Australia 's involvement in Vietnam . In 1952 , he circumvented restrictions on media coverage of Operation Hurricane ( a nuclear test in the Montebello Islands ) by sending a team to a remote location near the Rough Range , which was able to capture the only press photographs of the event . After leaving WAN , Macartney began working as a consultant for STW Channel 9 . He was employed in other consulting roles until his death from cancer in September 1977 . Macartney had been married twice , firstly in 1932 to Edith Flanagan , with whom he had three children . He was divorced in 1941 , and remarried to Margaret Bessell-Browne ( née Bennett ) in 1946 , with whom he had another two children
Operation Hurricane
Operation Hurricane
Jim Macartney