Our farewell to a consumer champion

It is with sadness that we share the news that former Consumer NZ chief executive David Russell passed away on 25 September. David was 82 years and had been attending Consumer’s annual general meetings until Parkinson’s made it too difficult a few years ago.

Our long-time members will remember David frequently appearing in the media, fighting for consumer rights. Current chief executive Jon Duffy says New Zealanders owe much to David’s work. “David was a giant of the consumer movement and made Consumer a household name. He was my inspiration for following a career in consumer protection,” Jon says.

David worked at Consumer for 35 years and was chief executive for 17 until 2007. He moved into the role just as the organisation lost its government funding and began relying on member subscriptions to finance its work.

In his final editorial for Consumer magazine, titled ‘Goodbye and thanks’, David wrote he was delighted that the organisation had not only survived its funding challenges but prospered.

This trip down memory lane details some of the important work carried out while David was at the helm. David also played a major part in the development of New Zealand’s Consumer Guarantees Act before it became law in 1993.

In the same year he left Consumer, David’s tireless fighting on behalf of consumers saw him appointed a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for community service.

Some of the staff who worked with David at Consumer are still with the organisation. Since learning of his passing, many memories have been shared in the Consumer office. One of our colleagues remembers him as “a beautifully spoken gentleman who always had an open door”.

Some of us who worked with David will represent Consumer at a celebration of his many achievements to be held later in the year.

Former editor David Naulls described his friend and boss as someone with a “daunting work ethic”. Naulls said David had always been prepared to help others on the Consumer team, no matter how busy he was. Naulls, however, also described David as not being a fan of the over detailed or elaborate. “His focus was always on the essential and the practical.”

So, although we could continue to list many more of his accomplishments that left consumers better protected, perhaps we should do as David would have preferred and leave it at that.

Our thoughts are with David’s wife Louise and his children, sister and wider family.