KEY POINTS:
A popular and respected journalist with strong links to both main political parties has died in Wellington after a long illness.
Fraser Folster, 54, died in Wellington Hospital last night after complications from his treatment for cancer.
Mr Folster was Samoan but grew up in New Zealand and gained a law degree in Auckland in 1977.
During his university days he was heavily involved in Radio B which later became Radio BFM.
Close friend, former journalist and now a Wellington lawyer, Richard Fletcher, said Mr Folster never lost his love for radio but he also worked extremely hard for the Pacific Islands community.
He was a radio journalist for several years before he became a press secretary to National MP Murray McCully and later to Alliance MP Sandra Lee.
He was also highly respected by former Labour Prime Minister David Lange. When Mr Folster was very ill several years ago Mr Lange visited him at his parents' Auckland home and told him he was stepping down as PM -- the first person to know outside Mr Lange's immediate family.
Mr Fletcher said his old friend was a genuine and generous man who had earned respect across most political parties.
"He was very well read and the things that came out sometimes made you realise there was a lot more to the man than first met the eye."
He said he was "very very astute in a way that was low key".
Mr Folster's funeral would be in Wellington early next week.
- NZPA
