Passionate, dedicated, and gifted individuals have played an integral role in shaping Fiji’s oldest newspaper The Fiji Times over its rich and colourful 155-year history.
One such individual is the late Stuart Gerald Inder MBE, a much-respected Australian journalist, publisher, and editor.
His three children Leslie, David, and Stephanie were in Fiji earlier this week and dropped by The Fiji Times newsroom to share fond recollections and memories of their father — someone they described who kept Fiji and the Pacific region close to his heart even after retiring from the mainstream media.
Inder served on numerous occasions as an interim editor for newspaper during the ’60s and ’70s when it was then under the ownership of R. W Robson.
According to Inder’s eldest daughter, Leslie, Robson was also the owner of a company called Pacific Publications based in Sydney, where the primary focus was predominantly on regional Pacific issues.
“So, our father mostly worked for Pacific Publications, but whenever there was a break between editors when they needed an editor, our father Stuart would come over here to hold the fort.”
Inder was also a very well-connected person among the big names in Fiji’s media industry at the time from Leonard Usher and Stanley Whippy to Fiji’s first Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
Inder’s youngest daughter, Stephanie recalled a moment after Fiji’s first coup in 1987, when a group of reporters were following the late Tui Nayau trying to get an interview.
“As Ratu Mara entered the lift at government buildings to try and evade the swarm of journalists, he recognised our father in the crowd, called him inside the elevator, and spoke only to him.”
It demonstrated the warmth of the professional relationships Inder forged during his time here in Fiji and the esteem that public officials held for him as a man of integrity.
His early life and military service
Inder’s passion for journalism and writing began when he was only 12 years old.
He grew up in the beachside suburb of Manly in Sydney, where he started a local publication called the Smedley Times with his three brothers.
“They set-up a small printing press and would sell the papers for one penny,” Leslie said.
“And when dad finished school, he managed to secure a cadetship with The Sun newspaper in Sydney.”
As World War II began, Inder took up the mantle of service and enlisted in the Australian Army at just 18 years of age.
He became a war correspondent by working for a news organisation known as the British and Commonwealth Occupied News service which was based in Tokyo during the Allied occupation of Japan.
Inder returned to Australia after the war to celebrate his 21st birthday and promptly rejoined the news service.
At Pacific Islands Monthly
Pacific Islands Monthly (PIM) was first published in 1930 and throughout its 70 years of existence was the voice of the Pacific Islands. Apart from playing a crucial role in assisting the islands recover from the impacts of World War II, it also was a staunch advocate for independence.
Inder became a full-time staff member of PIM in 1957. Serving as co-editor alongside Judy Tudor, who later became the publisher of Pacific Publications, Inder’s career with PIM lasted more than 30 years.
During his time working across the region, he developed professional connections with iconic Pacific leaders such as the late Sir Michael Somare of PNG, Sir Tom Davis from the Cook Islands, and our very own late former President and Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
Retirement and later work
In 1981, Inder chose to retire from Pacific Publications and embrace a slower, more relaxed life. This calmer yet equally fulfilling chapter of his life saw him spending 10 years as a staff writer for Australian Geographic, a role he thoroughly enjoyed.
Inder was also appointed as an MBE in 1981. He was also chairman of the ethics committee of the Australian Journalists Association and an active member of the PNG Association of Australia.
Leslie also shared that her father always held Fiji close to his heart and would always express his sadness about the chronic political instability that had always hurt the media industry.
Given the depth of his journalistic experience, He continued writing and editing until 2013, offering generous support and guidance to many fellow writers and younger journalists who sought his advice.
A giant of Pacific Journalism, Inder passed away on January 30, 2015, and he leaves behind a silent yet proud legacy at The Fiji Times.
Stuart Inder covering Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna’s funeral at Lakeba, Fiji, in 1958. Picture: The Sydney Morning Herald
Below: Stuart Inder and Doug Parrish. Picture: Supplied
