Mark Colvin: ‘We’ve lost a good man’

The final tweet from the much-loved Australian journalist summed it all up well, amid an outpouring of admiration, grief.

Mark Colvin celebrating 15 years in the chair. Picture: Supplied.

Mark Colvin, the beloved and widely respected ABC journalist and radio presenter, has died aged 65 after battling a rare auto-immune disease for over 20 years.

Colvin presented ABC Radio’s flagship program PM for 20 years and was the broadcaster’s London correspondent in the late 1970s.

Social media immediately overflowed with tributes.

Mary Ellen-Field, the woman who gave her kidney to Colvin in 2013, tweeted “@colvinius My heart is broken.” Colvin suffered kidney failure after falling ill covering the Rwandan genocide.

@colvinius My heart is broken pic.twitter.com/gEq7SkeMMY

— Mary-Ellen Field (@maryellenfield) May 11, 2017

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted “Mark Colvin’s journalism was elegant and erudite... We’ve lost a good man.”

Mark Colvin's journalism was elegant and erudite. In a world of superficiality, he was always informed and honest. We've lost a good man.

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) May 11, 2017

James Jeffrey, The Australian’s Strewth editor, tweeted “One of the finest people I have ever known. My heart is shattered.”

One of the finest people I have ever known. My heart is shattered pic.twitter.com/Mi4HYvTpBJ

— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) May 11, 2017

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tweeted: “Awful news. Vale Mark Colvin... A Gentleman of journalism.”

Awful news. Vale Mark Colvin. A gentleman of journalism.

— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) May 11, 2017

The Australian’s Media Diarist Stephen Brook tweeted “A great man has left us. Mark Colvin dies, aged 65.”

A great man has left us. Mark Colvin dies, aged 65 https://t.co/9gAjVp9Bit

— Stephen Brook (@ViscountBrooky) May 11, 2017

John Lyons, associate editor at The Australian, tweeted “Mark Colvin was a great journalist and a thoroughly good man. His credo ‘don’t make up your mind before u gather the facts’ shone through.”

Mark Colvin was a great journalist and a thoroughly good man. His credo 'don't make up your mind before u gather the facts' shone through

— John Lyons (@TheLyonsDen) May 11, 2017

Journalist Julia Baird tweeted “Mark Colvin had a rare dignity; a deep love of his craft, an intellectual intensity. He matched decency with depth and will be so missed.”

Mark Colvin had a rare dignity; a deep love of his craft, an intellectual intensity. He matched decency with depth and will be so missed.

— Julia Baird (@bairdjulia) May 11, 2017

Journalist and media personality Annabel Crabb tweeted ‘The death of Mark Colvin is a horrible, tearing loss for Australian journalism. He was an extraordinary person.”

The death of Mark Colvin is a horrible, tearing loss for Australian journalism. He was an extraordinary person.

— Annabel Crabb (@annabelcrabb) May 11, 2017

Marcus Strom, the Sydney Morning Herald’s science editor, tweeted “Our newsroom plunged into sadness on news that Mark Colvin (@Colvinius) has died. Farewell Mark. What an inspiration you were to us all.”

Our newsroom plunged into sadness on news that Mark Colvin (@Colvinius) has died. Farewell Mark. What an inspiration you were to us all pic.twitter.com/dB3hloyjzL

— Marcus Strom (@strom_m) May 11, 2017

Former MediaWatch host Jonathan Holmes tweeted “Vale @colvinius. Best and fairest, smartest and wittiest, kindest and bravest.”

Vale @colvinius. Best and fairest, smartest and wittiest, kindest and bravest.

— Jonathan Holmes (@jonaholmes48) May 11, 2017

Many took the opportunity to highlight the need for organ donation in Australia. Fairfaxjournalist Kate McClymont tweeted “A worthwhile way to honour @amworldtodaypm legend Mark Colvin @colvinus is to register as an organ donor”

A worthwhile way to honour @amworldtodaypm legend Mark Colvin @colvinus is to register as an organ donorhttps://t.co/Ykabp681x2 pic.twitter.com/SctuTHkVrq

— Kate McClymont (@Kate_McClymont) May 11, 2017

In this episode of the ABC’s Conversations with Richard Fidler, Mark Colvin discusses how he has remained optimistic throughout his colourful 40 year career as a powerhouse of Australian journalism.

And Colvin’s Twitter account, in a tweet sent from his account after news of his death was announced, simply said “It’s all been bloody marvellous.”

It's all been bloody marvellous.

— Mark Colvin (@Colvinius) May 11, 2017