The family moved to Sydney in 1947, where Frank ran a barber shop in Kings Cross.
The young Brian worked as a paper boy and factory hand, before entering St Columba's Seminary at the age of 16.
[1] Johns began his journalism career at The Queanbeyan Age, and as a feature writer specialising in the arts at the Australian News and Information Bureau, a government promotion body.
In 1964, he was the first chief political correspondent for The Australian newspaper, and in the next year, a special writer for The Bulletin.
[2] In 1974, Johns returned to government as a consultant and advisor in the position of a First Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.