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Squatter, professor, ‘warm-hearted leftie’

and was working on two further books, including a multidisciplinary collaboration examining the subsistence culture of the hill tribes of Vietnam and Laos, a far cry from Marxist theories of modes of production.

Befitting his politics, David was an active member of the Tertiary Education Union. When serving a term as the chairperson of the Waikato Branch of the Association of University Staff he demonstrated the same characteristics of calm leadership, good humour and respect for others employed in his Argyle St days.

Married to Melissa Hackell for 22 years, with whom he shared three children, David was a fun-loving, engaging parent, with a vast reservoir of ‘dad jokes’.

Family holidays were often enjoyed at Kakanui, close to where David was born, affording time for nostalgic reflection on his early life.

An intellectual force, a direct influence on students and colleagues through his work and personality and countless more through his prodigious writings, David made good on his stated aim. He changed the world.

David John Major Neilson died November 2 2022, in Waikato Hospital. He is survived by wife Melissa, children Harriet, Finley, Isla and Ziggy and grandson Leopold.