 In 1999, with his eyesight failing and threatened by blindness, he was obliged to retire because he could not watch films properly.The last film that John Hinde presented on the ABC was "Odd Man Out", starring James Mason and Kathleen Ryan, on 15 December 1999.In 2002, Hinde was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to the film and media industry.