A long-time resident of Tamahere in Waikato, David communicated with farmers for more than 40 years through his cartoons – his main character, Jock, is recognised as a national identity. His cartoons appeared in the New Zealand Farmer for 34 years and on the Jock calendar for the past 17 years. The cartoon was popular with rural folk and city dwellers who had a link with the land. In 2011, he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a cartoonist.