Prime Minister Scott Morrison led condolences on Thursday with the news of Mr Irvine's death, calling him an "exceptional" Australian and public servant in every sense.

"A gifted diplomat, security chief, and chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board, David Irvine was a wise counsel to successive governments," Mr Morrison said in a statement.

"This is a very sad day because David's curiosity, wisdom and judgment strengthened our democracy and security over many decades."

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese used a motion of condolence to honour the "giant of the public service".

"He has been an extraordinary contributor to our national security, to public service," he said.

"He was a gentleman, he was someone who you could ask for advice from opposition ... he is someone who will be sadly missed."

His various senior roles in the national security space earned him deep level of respect among the community.

His colleague Dennis Richardson, also a former ASIO chief, reflected on the depth of what Mr Irvine brought to Australia's policy challenges.

"His knowledge, intellectual depth and wit was the equal of any. His contribution to Australia's foreign policy, intelligence and security was immense and spanned many decades, being the only person ever to head both ASIS and ASIO," Mr Richardson said.

"David was a true servant to his country."

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said his "enormous contribution" had kept the country safe over many decades.

"David mentored many intelligence professionals over the course of his career and he leaves a rich and meaningful legacy," he said.

"The ASIO family is mourning his passing."

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg joined the chorus praising Mr Irvine's decorated career protecting the country's national security, saying he will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

"I feel very fortunate to have known David and counted him as a friend. He was a person of the utmost decency, always professional, highly capable and deeply committed to serving his country. That he did in so many ways."

For the past seven years, Mr Irvine worked within Australian National University's National Security College as a lecturer and a mentor.

The college's head, Professor Rory Medcalf, said he had shared his wisdom with many up-and-coming talents in the community.

"He spent a lot of his time as a teacher and mentor here at the National Security College to young public servants, to young officials in intelligence and security," Professor Medcalf said.

"Not just imparting knowledge but also empowering, imparting guidance on their careers and on really how best to serve Australia's interests."

Mr Irvine did not retire entirely after leaving ASIO in what would have been an incredible capstone to any four-decade career in the public service. He continued to undertake reviews for government, such as his 2020 report into Defence's Special Operations Command, in addition to his role as chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Mr Morrison said this allowed him to "devote himself in various ways to training the next generation of defence, security and intelligence professionals."

Mr Irvine had also served as high commissioner to Papua New Guinea and ambassador to China, before becoming the most experienced security official for the country as director-general of ASIO and director-general of ASIS, and finally his role with the review board.

Before his government career, Mr Irvine had also worked as a journalist, but had a traditional approach to his roles leading Australia's security agencies that reserved his thoughts to government except for those in his writings, where he focused on Indonesia.

"David had a deep understanding of Australia and the region and the interconnection of diplomacy, security and economics. He also had a deep love of Indonesian culture, expressed through the publication of two books," Mr Morrison said.

"He understood the work in democracies of maximising freedom and security. As he said in a 2014 speech, 'I believe the threat of terrorism will be with us into the future, but that it should not be allowed to panic us or dominate our lives.'"

It is understood Mr Irvine died on Wednesday night after a period of serious illness and a recent stroke.

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