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Former Channel Nine news director and 60 Minutes executive producer John Westacott has died aged 73.

Westacott, a giant of the Nine Network, died after suffering a suspected medical episode on Sydney Harbour at the weekend.

The avid sailor was pulled from the water in Vaucluse about 1.30pm on Sunday and could not be revived.

Westacott, who retired from Nine in 2009, is being remembered by colleagues as a 'journalist's journo'.

Michael Healy, Nine's Director of TV, and Darren Wick, Nine's National Director of News and Current Affairs released a joint statement following his death.

"John Westacott was a trailblazer of Australian journalism.

"The longest-serving and most successful Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, a driving force of A Current Affair and a visionary with Nine as the National Director of News and Current Affairs.

"Westy was an enigma. There was no-one like him. He didn't care about political correctness and would publicly declare that.

"He didn't care where you came from, nor about your gender, ethnicity or religious and political beliefs. He cared about whether you had the passion and ability to tell a great story.

"His lifelong love was 60 Minutes. He was fearless as he pushed his team to report some of the greatest stories and interviews Australians have ever seen. And he was ferocious in defending his team against any criticism – externally and internally.

"Westy had a laser-like focus and an incredible intuition on what 60 Minutes meant to 

Australian viewers and what they wanted to see from the program every Sunday night.

"During his later years with Nine, as the Head of News and Current Affairs, he was the driving force behind bringing Peter Overton into the seat as the anchor of the Sydney 6pm News. He saw well into the future when others didn't.

"He understood the integrity and authenticity that Peter would bring to Nine News and set it apart from the rest. The fact that the 6pm Sydney bulletin has dominated the News for the past 12 years is a testament to the vision that John Westacott brought to Nine.

"He was no saint and had a devilish sense of humour and was a master of mischief. 

"But he was a journalist's journo and always a generous source of knowledge and insight.

"Westy made Nine a better place. He was a big vision, big picture person who made us all reach for the stars and land on them.

"We will miss him," the statement ended.

Westacott is survived by his wife Cecile and two sons.

Protesters have warned more climate demonstrations are planned after two people glued themselves to a Picasso artwork at the National Gallery of Victoria yesterday.

Three Extinction Rebellion protesters were arrested, including campaigner Tony Gleeson after they attached themselves to the priceless artwork — an anti-war painting titled Massacre in Korea — for more than an hour.

Gleeson told 9News Melbourne that "lots of work" went into planning the protest and said the painting was not damaged.

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The surface of the painting is covered with glass, so the glue didn't directly damage it, the retired teacher said.

"That piece was chosen mainly because it was covered," he said.

"Most of the paintings there weren't covered."

Extinction Rebellion has staged demonstrations across the nation, which has included bringing peak hour traffic to a grinding halt when protesters glued themselves to the road or blocked the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.

Gleeson said more would be coming over the next two weeks.

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He hoped the protests would encourage stronger government action against climate change.

"We're sorry that that happened but we don't have a choice," Gleeson said.

"It was disruptive because that's what works. We might have set the bar too high, but we'll see."

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