David Farrar (New Zealand)
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David Peter Farrar (11 September 1967) is a New Zealand political activist, blogger, and pollster. He is also a frequent commentator in the media on Internet issues. Farrar has held many roles within the New Zealand National Party, including Volunteer Campaign Manager for National's Wellington Central candidate Mark Blumsky in the 2005 general election[1]. He has worked in Parliament for the last four National Party Leaders.
His blog, Kiwiblog, is one of the most widely read and commented on New Zealand blogs[2]. The National Business Review has stated that "Any realistic "power list" produced in this country would include either Farrar or his fellow blogger and opinion leader Russell Brown."[3] In August 2006, the then National Party leader Don Brash commented on the blog[4][5].
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[edit] Education
Farrar was educated at St Mark's Church School and Rongotai College.
Farrar studied at the University of Otago and later at Victoria University of Wellington. He served on the Council of Otago University as a student representative, was President of the Commerce Faculty and chaired the student representative council.
[edit] Internet advocacy
Farrar was Vice-President of the Internet Society of New Zealand, InternetNZ, and is a frequent commentator in both broadcast and print media on Internet issues.
[edit] Career
Farrar is a director of New Zealand Domain Name Registry Ltd (.nz Registry Services)[6], and manages his own market research company Curia. Farrar is also a member of the Market Research Society of New Zealand.
Previously, Farrar worked as a staff member of the Leader of the Opposition (1999-2004), a staff member at National Head Office (1999 and 2004), a staff member in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (under Jim Bolger and later Jenny Shipley) 1997-1999.
[edit] Political involvement
[edit] Young Nationals
Farrar is an honorary life member of the Young Nationals, due to his many years of service to the organisation.
He survived some media calls for his resignation as National Secretary when he was arrested for his part in a joke press release, along with fellow Young National Michael P Moore, announcing that maverick National MP Michael Laws had been assassinated and that the Prime Minister was one of over 10,000 suspects. The joke press release was made with the New Zealand Police logo. They were subsequently arrested, although was not convicted of any crime, chose to participate in a diversion scheme for first time offenders of minor crime. The infamous fax and related media items are now displayed at the Backbencher Bar on Molesworth Street in Wellington, across the road from the New Zealand Parliament.
[edit] Political views
Farrar tends to take a classical liberal approach to politics and ranks as a moderate centre-right on the political spectrum. He supported the decriminalisation of prostitution and the creation of Civil unions in New Zealand. Farrar supports a New Zealand republic, and is on the National Council of the New Zealand Republican Movement.
Farrar often appears before Parliamentary select committees on a range of issues - most recently the Electoral Finance Bill. He often publishes his submissions on his blog.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Coddington, Deborah. "Making a difference, one issue at a time", New Zealand Herald, 2007-03-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ 2007 Kiwiblog Stats. Kiwiblog (2008-01-07). Retrieved on 2008-01-07. “Page Views: 9,222,545, Unique Visits: 2,697,578,...Comments Left: 70,247”
- ^ Ben Thomas and David W Young (20 September 2007). Politicians will be haunted by their past on internet. National Business Review. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
- ^ "Blogging a one-off for Brash", Dominion Post, 2006-08-11, p. A.2.
- ^ A Competition (Don Brash comment). Kiwiblog (2006-08-09). Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ New Zealand Domain Name Registry. Retrieved on 11-08-2006.
- ^ David Farrar (10 September 2007). My submission on the Electoral Finance Bill. Kiwiblog. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
