David Peter Farrar (born 11 September 1967) is a New Zealand political activist, blogger, and pollster. He is a frequent commentator in the media on Internet issues. Farrar has held many roles within the New Zealand National Party and has worked in Parliament for four National Party leaders.
His blog, Kiwiblog, is the most widely read, and commented on, New Zealand blog.[1] Farrar also maintains a presence on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.[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 posted a comment on Kiwiblog.[4][5]
The New Zealand Listener 2009 Power List, named Farrar the 4th most powerful person in the New Zealand media saying "Kiwiblog has become part of the daily routine for Beltway insiders and others with an interest in politics and public policy."[6]
Farrar writes weekly columns for the National Business Review and the iPredict futures site, and is a regular commentator on Radio New Zealand and Newstalk ZB.
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Farrar was educated in Wellington, attending St Mark's Church School and Rongotai College.
He studied at the University of Otago and later at Victoria University of Wellington. Farrar served on the Council of Otago University as a student representative, was President of the Commerce Faculty Students' Association and chaired the Student Representative Council. While he was at the University of Otago, he was the Otago correspondent for Campus News an alternative student newspaper published by a group in Auckland but which was distributed nationwide. The newspaper was published between 1984 and 1988, and David's involvement ran from 1985 to 1987.
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.
Farrar is a director of New Zealand Domain Name Registry Ltd (.nz Registry Services),[7] and manages his own market research company Curia. Farrar is 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 Party Head Office (1999 and 2004), a staff member in Ministerial Services under Jim Bolger (1996–1997) and in the Prime Minister's Office under Jenny Shipley (1997–1999).
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. Farrar and Moore were subsequently arrested, but not convicted of any crime as they 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 Parliament.
At the 2005 general election Farrar was the volunteer Campaign Manager for National's Wellington Central candidate Mark Blumsky. Blumsky was defeated in his attempt to become an electorate MP, but succeeded in entering parliament via the party list.[8]
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. Economically his views are more classically right-wing and he has often supported policies advocated by parties identified to the right of National, such as ACT.
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.[9]