Australian leaders and journalists have paid tribute to veteran reporter Mike Willesee, who has died following a battle with throat cancer.
Willesee started his 50-year television career with the ABC before high-profile periods with the Nine and Seven networks.
The 76-year-old was known for his masterful interviewing style, including his interview with former Opposition Leader John Hewson on the GST, which was widely credited with changing the course of the 1993 federal election.
He asked Hewson a simple question: "If I buy a birthday cake from a cake shop and GST is in place do I pay more or less for that birthday cake?"
The then-opposition leader tied himself in knots trying to answer the question, and lost the election 10 days later.
"He made such an enormous contribution to journalism in Australia," Dr Hewson told AAP after news broke of the journalist's death on Friday afternoon.
When asked about the 1993 interview, Dr Hewson said "it was a good question and I gave a bad answer."
The long-winded, complicated response, was in part due to Willesee's style where an apparently simple question was followed by a pregnant pause.
"That style can be quite disarming, while on other occasions he was much more focused, deliberate and intensive," Dr Hewson said.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also praised the journalist's contribution to the media, saying "he used his intellect, tenacity and wit to conduct fearless interviews."
"His legacy as a pioneer in the golden age of current affairs will be long-lasting," Mr Fifield said.
In a statement, an ABC spokeswoman said the broadcaster described Willesee as a "great of Australian journalism".
"He has many friends and former colleagues here, and many more admirers who have been inspired by the talent, integrity and bravery that distinguished his career and life," the ABC said.
Colleagues and admirers have taken to social media to pay tribute, including fellow veteran journalist Laurie Oakes, who tweeted: "Vale Mike Willesee. Master interviewer. Good bloke."
ABC News Director Gaven Morris described Willesee as "one of the true pioneers of TV journalism in Australia, an outstanding interviewer and a presence in every Australian living room for decades".
Seven Network Sunday Night host Melissa Doyle tweeted: "Deeply saddened to hear that our colleague and TV legend Mike Willesee has passed away.
"We'll remember an incredible journalist, tenacious and tough. A loss for our industry."
Born in 1942 in Perth, Willesee was the son of ALP Senator Donald Willesee.
He first graced Australian television in 1967 on the ABC current affairs program This Day Tonight, before going on to host the ABC's flagship current affairs program Four Corners, then joining the Nine Network as host of A Current Affair.
During a profile on Australian Story in 1998, Willesee said a plane crash in Kenya that year prompted a return to the Catholicism of his youth.
In 2002 he was inducted into the Logie Awards Hall of Fame.
