A Tribute to John Barnett
John Daniel Barnett CNZM (17 August 1945 to 24 August 2025)
28 August 2025:
At today’s funeral, Richard Fletcher was honoured to pay tribute to his friend John Barnett.
There are moments when grief needs to be shared – and this is one of them. But today, we also celebrate the joy of having known John Barnett, a man who gave so much and lived so fully.
John often commented on the casual overuse of words like "legend," "titan," or "visionary,". Yet in his case, these words are entirely warranted.
It is a daunting task to try to distil a 50-plus-year screen career into a few minutes and do justice to John’s extraordinary achievements and the very real impact he had on so many. I could run through a very lengthy list and go completely over my allotted time, and it still wouldn’t honour John in the way he deserves. Also, I can hear him saying, “Just Google me, it’ll be much more efficient”.
Instead, I think John perfectly and succinctly put it himself on his website by stating, “98.5% of all people in New Zealand have seen a programme produced by John” and cheekily qualified it by adding in brackets: “some people don’t have TV or go to the movies!”. That was John: sharp, funny, and deeply aware of his audience.
As succinctly as John put it, I still feel the need to share some brief observations. John’s work spanned film, TV, animation, comedy, documentary, and drama. It is an extraordinary and unparalleled achievement that he was able to sustain such a prolific career over 50 years whilst remaining so present and in touch, both in New Zealand and globally. But more than the breadth of his output, it was his instinctive embrace of diverse Māori, Pasifika and Asian voices that set him apart and ahead of his time. He intrinsically understood what New Zealanders wanted to see, often before they did themselves.
But what I really want to touch upon is the unique, and at times apparently contradictory, combination of qualities that made John so special and so bloody successful. Namely, his passion for storytelling, a nurturing spirit, insatiable curiosity, silent generosity and unwavering doggedness.
I first met John 29 years ago, as a wide-eyed 23-year-old, wanting to break into the industry. I finally spoke with John late last week as a colleague and a friend. In both conversations, his passion and encouragement were palpable. That was John—always championing others, always pushing forward.
Unsurprisingly, the tributes to John have poured in, with many noting how John gave them their first break and, in several cases, changed the direction of their lives. Also referenced was the advice and support he offered. Support that developed into ongoing professional and personal friendships.
Mentor is another word that regularly appears. John not only had a keen eye for talent but, more importantly, he often saw potential in people that they hadn’t yet seen in themselves. There are many, including myself, whose careers would not be what they are today without John. It has rightly been commented that John “sparked a generation of filmmakers”.
John was also maddeningly well-read and culturally connected. You’d recommend a book or show, and he’d already devoured it. It is fitting that he was at the opening night of the Auckland Theatre Company’s latest production on Saturday evening. His curiosity and passion for the arts was unwavering.
Despite his public profile, John was deeply private. Accordingly, his generosity was quiet but profound. He devoted a significant amount of time, energy, and money to a diverse range of voices and companies across the cultural sector, as well as to various social causes.
I experienced his generosity firsthand when a film I was producing encountered financial trouble due to a financier's failure in pre-production. John typically offered sage advice, which ultimately helped get the film back on track. But more tellingly, as I was leaving our meeting, he turned to me and asked how my family and I were holding up and if I needed financial help. It was entirely unsolicited and unexpected, and it meant the world to me. That moment of kindness, at such a difficult time, gave me the strength and confidence to keep going.
That epitomises John, a man with a huge heart who really cared about people and their and their families well-being.
Frank Wells, a former President of the Walt Disney Company, carried in his wallet for 30 years this quote, “Humility is the final achievement”. That is how John lived. He understood that success isn’t about getting - it’s about giving.
However, there is one quality that warrants some further examination. It is fair to say John was not shy in sharing a firmly held opinion. At times, that could be challenging, especially if you happened to be on the receiving end. He could be particularly difficult to argue with, as he loved a good debate and he was always armed with facts and endless conviction. Yet even at his most outrageous, there was always the foundation of a strong idea. But unlike Margaret Thatcher, he was someone who could be turned. Albeit it required a well-reasoned argument and a firm resolve. But by engaging with John, you always came away wiser.
That was the core of John’s dogmatism. John did not suffer fools, nor tolerate sloppiness or half-heartedness. He had a prodigious work ethic and a laser focus. John was an exacting taskmaster. He was not someone to give false praise or hope, and he expected us all, and most especially himself, to deliver to our full potential. In John’s mind, there was only one standard, excellence, and he rightly challenged us to strive for that. That rigour and dogged determination could be tough, but it came from a place of genuine passion and deep care for the industry and the people in it.
John was a fearless industry advocate and his advocacy will be missed. Several people have asked who will pick up the mantle. But no one can replace him. Instead we should honour him by stepping up, demanding the best of ourselves, and working together to collectively achieve the goals and ideals he championed. It is a challenge John would have wanted and expected all of us to take on.
I want to close with words from his friend, Paul Davis, who unfortunately, could not be here today. But I think Paul’s words speak for us all.
To Sarah, John’s family and friends my heartfelt condolences to you all. I am deeply shocked and devastated to hear of John’s passing.
When I returned to NZ in 2004 after 15 years in the Film business in London it was John who I reconnected with. That reconnection over the years, resulted in many collaborations, but it was also the start of an enduring friendship.
Through a lot of discussion, often over lunch, coffee, email, text and many, many phone calls, we didn’t always agree but we always held a mutual respect.
Just last Friday, we sat in the glorious winter sun having lunch at First Mates, celebrating John’s milestone birthday. Between us there was a quiet sense of reflection, a kind of pensiveness. We shared a few hours together, neither of us knowing it would be our last.
It was inspiring to hear John’s enthusiasm and ambitious plans (he said, quite possibly the most ambitious) for the upcoming projects and in true Barney style always with a meticulous plan... laid out.
... we ate, we talked, we laughed and we shed a tear, I know now it was our goodbye...
As we say goodbye to a NZ film and television legend. I say goodbye to my friend John. Thank you for your strength, support and vision. You have left a legacy that will be forever be celebrated.
Paul
John Barnett, you will be sorely missed. But you leave behind a screen industry - and a cultural legacy – that is so much richer because of you.
Farewell, my friend. We will carry your vision forward and do our best to honour you.