David Robie (1945-) is a New Zealand author, journalist and media educator who has covered the Asia-Pacific region for international media for more than two decades. [1] He became an associate professor in Auckland University of Technology School of Communication Studies in 2005. [2] In 1985, Dr 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.[1][3] 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] A new memorial edition of Eyes of Fire was published in July 2005 (Asia Pacific Network). [5]
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 [6] where his students covered the 2000 George Speight coup d'état in Fiji. [7] In 1999, Robie became the annual Australian Press Council Fellow. [8] He is founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review. [9], which was launched at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994. In 2005, he won the PIMA Pacific Media. Freedom Award [10] and is now director of the Pacific Media Centre [11]. Dr Robie is author of several books on South Pacific media and politics [12], including Mekim Nius: South Pacific media, politics and education. [13]