Australian journalist, author, producer and presenter Peter Luck has died at the age of 73.
Luck, who had both cancer and Parkinson's disease, died last night at Concord Hospital.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Penny, his son Anthony, daughter Anna and three grandchildren.
Luck worked on shows including This Day Tonight, Four Corners, Sunday, Today Tonight and Inside Edition.
Close friend and journalist Mike Carlton said Luck died had a "long and painful" illnesses.
"I'm deeply, deeply sad because he was a true friend, a great friend and one of Australia's finest television journalists," he said.
"Peter was one of the great ABC television journalists, he was one of the pioneers of This Day Tonight, that trailblazing current affairs show.
"He was immensely creative, he was funny, he was knowledgeable and he cared very deeply about public broadcast."
ABC colleague Kerry O'Brien praised Luck as a gifted writer and peerless television maker of his time.
"I've never worked with a better one," Mr O'Brien said.
Luck moved into commercial television and newspapers after a career at the ABC.
Mr O'Brien said Luck had tried to get the ABC to "embrace his idea for a film history of Australia's 20th century but was consistently knocked back, so he took This Fabulous Century to Channel Seven".
"Thirty-six episodes later it had created its own history, as the highest rating and longest running documentary on Australian television. I think that's probably still the case 40 years later.
"Peter was an immensely talented and funny guy who was also a kind and gentle human being. His work will never be supplanted."
He authored a number of books on Australian history including This Fabulous Century and Australian Icons: Things That Make Us What We Are.
"Those who knew him will remember him as a wonderful, wise and witty friend," Carlton said.
Friends and former colleagues paid tribute to Luck on Twitter.
Current executive producer of Four Corners, Sally Neighbour, described Luck as "one of the true greats of journalism, a role model to generations of reporters".
"Peter Luck was a trailblazing journalist who became a role model to generations of reporters and was also loved and respected by audiences," ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie said in a statement.
"All ABC staff join me in paying our respects to Peter and passing on our deepest sympathies to his family."
ABC news director Gaven Morris said Luck had a "rare ability".
"His wonderful conversational tone … made everyone feel like he was talking directly to us," he said.
