Robin Dudding

Robin Nelson Dudding (7 December 1935 – 21 April 2008) was a New Zealand literary editor and journalist who founded the influential literary journal Islands (1972–1988).

He was also editor of the literary journals Landfall (1966–1972) and Mate (1957–1966), and publisher of a number of novels and poetry and essay collections. He has been called the “most gifted and significant literary editor” of his generation, having given many New Zealand writers their first prominent outlet.

Dudding was born in Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay, son of Ernest, a baker, and Winifred (née Hinton) a schoolteacher. He attended Hastings High School, where he developed an interest in writing and literature.

Dudding was a cadet reporter at the Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune from 1952 until moving to Auckland in the mid 1950s. He joined the Auckland Star, after a short time working as a freelance “seagull” labourer on the wharves. In 1959 he left the Star to train as a primary schoolteacher.

While still a reporter, Dudding fell in with the Auckland literary set, whose gatherings revolved around the Queen’s Ferry pub in the central city. In 1957 he took over the co-editorship, and then full editorship, of the magazine Mate, whose first edition had been edited by the poet Kevin Ireland. Contributions to Mate 2 included Barry Crump’s first published story, as well as writing by Maurice Gee, Frank Sargeson and Ireland. Mate was produced from Dudding’s home in Torbay on Auckland’s North Shore, and he supported his unpaid literary endeavours and his growing family with full-time work as a reporter, and later teacher.

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