About David Barber
David Barber is one of New Zealand's most travelled journalists, reporting from more than 50 countries during a 50-year career as a foreign correspondent. He was on the staff of the New Zealand Press Association for 20 years, including spells in Sydney covering Australia (1965-69), Singapore, reporting from India to Japan, including the Vietnam War (1969-73), London, covering Europe (1973-77) and Washington DC, responsible for the Americas (1980-81). He was the sole print journalist on the frigate HMNZS Otago, which the New Zealand government sent into the Pacific in 1973 to protest French nuclear tests in the atmosphere. He worked as a freelance from 1984-2012, covering foreign affairs and trade for New Zealand's National Business Review and acting as New Zealand correspondent for some of the world's top newspapers, including The Independent, London, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Melbourne, and the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong. He was New Zealand correspondent for the German Press Agency, dpa, from 1999 until retiring from daily journalism at the end of 2012. He is a Life Member of the New Zealand Parliamentary Press Gallery.
An account of his career, Whizzing All Over the Place - A foreign correspondent's memoir was published in July 2015. It was launched by Sir Anand Satyanand, who writes on the back cover:"These crisply written highlights and amusing anecdotes from David's 50-plus years at the typewriter in England, New Zealand and in many Asian settings are a memorable passing parade of our times, seen through sharp eyes and an inquiring mind. Readers are in for a treat of good writing and firmly drawn opinions to savour. Whizzing All Over the Place is sure to enliven memories and spark many conversations."
Earlier books were Gliding on the Lino: The wit of David Lange (1987) and Don't Vote - it only encourages them! (2004)
David published another book, called Brandy to the Blitz - a wartime childhood in England, in 2019. It was written for family and friends and is not intended for commercial sale but he will entertain approaches from anyone particularly interested.