Breakfast with Barry

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Barry Soper has been a journalist since the 1970’s with the last two decades spent in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. He is the longest serving member of the gallery and the country’s most experienced political broadcast journalist and is widely considered a political guru.Barry came to the gallery as political editor for private radio but during his time he has made endless appearances on television commentating on politics. He has also fronted Counterpoint for TVNZ, Right of Reply, an interview show in the leadup to the last election for Saturn, and Absolutely Soper, a light hearted weekly feature which was part of TV2’s late night news, as well as spending time as a radio talkback host. He also served an unprecedented three terms as chairman of the press gallery.
Through his work he has known and travelled abroad with seven Prime Ministers, the first of whom was Rob Muldoon. He has also met some of the most celebrated world leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, most of the Australian Prime Ministers, among them Paul Keating who once called him a “blow fly”, and President Bill Clinton.
Barry is currently Newstalk ZB’s senior political correspondent.