David Robie

David Telfer Robie MNZM (born 1945) is a New Zealand author, journalist and media educator who has covered the Asia-Pacific region for international media for more than four decades.^[1] Robie is the author of several books on South Pacific media and politics and is an advocate for media freedom in the pacific region.^[2]

David Robie

In 1985, Robie sailed on board the Greenpeace eco-navy flagship Rainbow Warrior for 10 weeks until it was bombed by French secret agents in New Zealand’s Auckland harbour.^[3][4] He is the author of a book about the ill-fated voyage, Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (Lindon Books, 1986).^[4] An updated memorial edition of Eyes of Fire was published in July 2005,^[5] and a 30th anniversary edition in July 2015 (Little Island Press).^[6]

In 1993-1997, Robie headed the University of Papua New Guinea journalism programme and in 1998-2002 became coordinator of the University of the South Pacific journalism school where his students covered the 2000 George Speight coup d'état in Fiji.^[7][8] According to the NZ Listener, an assistant minister in Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's government in 1998 threatened to close Robie's media and politics website - Café Pacific - and revoke his work permit as a media educator in "what was seen as the first test of the 1997 Constitution's freedom of expression clause".^[9] In 1999, Robie became an annual Australian Press Council Fellow.^[10] He is founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review, launched at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994. Between 1998-2002, Robie was the Head of Journalism at the University of the South Pacific.^[11] He became an associate professor in Auckland University of Technology School of Communication Studies in 2005 and a professor in 2011.^[12] In 2020 he retired as director of the Pacific Media Centre.^[13] In 2021, he co-founded the Asia Pacific Media Network and produced the independent Asia-Pacific news websites Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific.^[14]

Honours and awards

1985: NZ Media Prize, for coverage of the Rainbow Warrior bombing ^[15]

1989: Qantas Press Awards for best feature article ^[16]

2005: PIMA Pacific Media Freedom Award.^[17]

2015: AMIC Asia Communication Award.^[18]

In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, Robie was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to journalism and Asia-Pacific media education.^[19]

Publications

Robie's publications include:^[1]

• Robie, David (2015) "Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior" (30th anniversary edition) ISBN 9781877484285
• Robie, David (2014) "Don't Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific" ISBN 9781877484254
• Robie, David (2005) Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (memorial edition) ISBN 9781877314469
• Robie, David (2004) Mekim Nius: South Pacific media, politics and education. ISBN 978-1-877314-30-8
• Robie, David (ed.) (2001) The Pacific Journalist: A Practical Guide ISBN 9820103851
• Robie, David (ed.) (1995) Nius Bilong Pasifik: Mass Media in the Pacific ISBN 9980840528
• Robie, David (ed.) (1992) Tu Galala: Social Change in the Pacific ISBN 0908912145
• Robie, David (1989) Och världen blundar... Kampen för frihet i Stilla Havet (translated into Swedish by Margareta Eklof, Sweden) ISBN 9170245274
• Robie, David (1989) Blood on their Banner: Nationalist Struggles in the South Pacific ISBN 0862328659
• Robie, David (1987) Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (New Society Publishers edition, USA) ISBN 0865711143
• Robie, David (1986) Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (Lindon, NZ)