He joined Malcolm Fraser's press team in May of that year at a time of immense turmoil and later upheaval in federal politics.

Along with many Australian insiders he was impressed at the outset with the then prime minister, Gough Whitlam, and was part of the inner circle of journalists both before and after his election in 1972.

But with inflation raging, the loans affair, and Labor imploding, David decided to leave the profession he loved and offered to give his media services to the opposition candidate he believed had the best chance of being elected.

With a history of economic stability in decades past, David Barnett believed the Coalition had the best chance of getting the country back on course if elected.

He started his career as a copy boy on the Sydney Sun in 1949 and became a cadet reporter the following year.

Having launched the AAP federal bureau in the Canberra press gallery in 1971 he was one of 10 handpicked journalists covering a Whitlam-led delegation to the Peoples' Republic of China in mid-1971.

On July 5 they were granted an audience with Zhou Enlai, in the East room of the Great Hall of the people.

While the meeting proved a major diplomatic coup for Labor the whole of the travelling party were invited and David Barnett with his impeccable shorthand provided a full record of the encounter.

Along with the Labor team, fellow journalists were also the beneficiaries of his record, which he dutifully transcribed and despatched through the single available teleprinter operator.

As he heard colleagues in the hotel manoeuvring the lift above, he would engage the operator with the next batch of copy ensuring his employers were first to receive and despatch the news back home.

Even today one of his former media colleagues still remembers the effort as an impressive piece of reporting.

Much later after the event, David said the Chinese regarded the media party as an equally crucial element to the delegation.

At the time, the United States was in secret negotiations itself over PRC recognition and announced the initiative as the Labor delegation was returning to Australia.

China also figured in Davids's job interview with Malcolm Fraser who asked him for his view on relations with the PRC.

The response did not come from any diplomatic handbook.

David sealed the deal by observing that if you were Ginger Megs, a popular cartoon character at the time, you did not throw sticks and stones over the fence with the more fearsome and unpredictable Tiger Kelly, next door.

A resident of the Yass River district in retirement, David had a distinguished and extensive national and international media career before joining the Fraser office in 1975.

He served as press secretary for seven years in the lead up to and during the political upheaval of the blocking of supply, which led to the sacking of Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam and his replacement with Liberal caretaker prime minister Fraser.

The Fraser-led Coalition won the subsequent election in a landslide.

The fallout was still being felt in the years to come long after the Coalition lost office with the election of Labor in 1983.

David began the press secretary role at a time when television networks were beginning to establish permanent political bureaus in Canberra.

To accommodate their needs, he introduced morning doorstops as a regular event.

Some journalists and crews would still remember, less than fondly perhaps, being backed into the rose thorns at the back entrance to the old parliament house in the scramble for a few relevant grabs.

These encounters proved crucial to addressing issues before they developed a head of steam.

He also introduced transcripts to the media process to ensure the prime minister would never be misquoted.

It is a practice that continues to this day and ensures more comprehensive coverage of media events in a 24-7 news hungry environment.

David's news service background was a perfect fit for the new prime minister's press office.

During a visit to Yuendumu and Katherine in the NT in 1978, David could be seen on duty late into the evening in a Katherine bar witnessing and noting discussions between the travelling media and the then great hope for Aboriginal advancement, Galarrwuy Yunupingu.

He had served 13 years overseas in London, Kenya, Cyprus, France, India and Japan transforming the Daily Nation in Kenya to an indigenous team in the lead-up to Kenyan independence.

To members of the newsroom he was Bwana Kubwa (big boss) and Bwana Macho Ine (Big Boss four eyes) referring to his glasses.

Having married first wife Maureen in London, he reflected later that the nomadic lifestyle was less than suitable for raising a family. Their children were born in England, Kenya and Japan.

In the days before ministerial staff superannuation David invested in a cattle spread at Jerangle, and later used it to help finance the holding at Yass where he meshed enthusiastically with the local community.

He continued to have good relations with Malcolm Fraser in retirement and always remembered the period serving him with pride and affection.

His only admission of failure was a description of "grumbles" in the official programs for constituent electorate visits which he had no success getting the personal assistant to change, despite the tabloid potential.

Former prime minister John Howard described David as an invaluable and effective adviser in every way.

"I counted him as a good friend," Mr Howard said.

David was a contributing columnist to The Canberra Times, and was wiring for the Yass Tribune into his 80s.

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for public service in 1980.

He died in Calvary Hospital after admission following a fall and was six weeks short of his 91st birthday.

He is survived by wife, Pru Goward, the former NSW state member for Goulburn, and former minister for social housing, also two daughters, Susan and Alice, and two grandsons, Andrew and Nicholas.