David Shearer
| David Shearer MBE MP |
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|---|---|
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| 33rd Leader of the Opposition | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 13 December 2011 |
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| Deputy | Grant Robertson |
| Preceded by | Phil Goff |
| 13th Leader of the Labour Party | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 13 December 2011 |
|
| Deputy | Grant Robertson |
| Preceded by | Phil Goff |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Mount Albert |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 13 June 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Helen Clark |
| Majority | 10,021 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 28, 1957 Auckland |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | New Zealand Labour Party |
David James Shearer, MBE (born 28 July 1957) is a humanitarian worker and current Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party. He won the Mount Albert by-election on 13 June 2009 to become a Member of the Parliament of New Zealand for the Labour Party. He was named (together with his wife) as New Zealander of the Year by the New Zealand Herald in 1992.[1]
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[edit] Early life
Shearer was born and brought up in Auckland. He attended Papatoetoe High School, where he was head boy.[1] He then graduated from the University of Auckland with a BSc and the University of Canterbury with a MSc (Hons) in Resource Management.[2] Between 1983 to 1987 he was a teacher at Massey High School and Onehunga High School.[2]
[edit] Public policy
Shearer has conducted various assignments with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Save the Children Fund, and the International Crisis Group, and is the author of numerous publications in the areas of humanitarian affairs and conflict resolution.[3]
In 1992 Shearer, and his wife Anuschka Meyer, were named the New Zealanders of the Year by the New Zealand Herald after running one of the biggest aid camps in Somalia.[1] In the 1993 United Kingdom New Years Honours List he was awarded a MBE by the Queen for his work in Somalia.[2][4]
[edit] United Nations
In 1995 Shearer joined the United Nations, serving as the Senior Humanitarian Affairs Adviser in Liberia.[3]
In 1999 Shearer served in various posts including as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Rwanda, the Senior Humanitarian Adviser in Albania and as the Chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Belgrade.[3] He then left the United Nations to work as an adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Phil Goff.
In 2002 Shearer returned to the United Nations, serving as a Senior Adviser to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.[3]
In February 2003 Shearer was appointed head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Jerusalem.[3] During the conflict in Lebanon in 2006 he served as the Humanitarian Coordinator.[5]
In 2007 Shearer was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as his Deputy Special Representative (Humanitarian, Reconstruction and Development) for Iraq.[3] While in Iraq Shearer also served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the Humanitarian Coordinator.
[edit] Member of Parliament
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| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 2009–2011 | 49th | Mt Albert | Labour | |
| 2011–present | 50th | Mt Albert | 31 | Labour |
Before his election as a Member of Parliament Shearer had twice previously stood for the Labour party; in 1999 he stood as a list only candidate and in 2002 he unsuccessfully contested Whangarei.
In May 2009 he returned to New Zealand to successfully contest the Labour party nomination for Mt. Albert against seven other candidates.[6] He then won the 2009 Mt Albert by-election on 13 June 2009 with 13,260 votes, a majority of 9,718 over National's Melissa Lee.[7] Shearer extended his majority over Lee to 10,021 in the 2011 general election.[8] On 13 December 2011, he was elected by the Labour Party's caucus as the new leader of the party over David Cunliffe following the resignation of Phil Goff. Grant Robertson was elected as Shearer's deputy.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Gower, Patrick (23 April 2009). "UN 'special guy' eyes Mt Albert seat". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10568104. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ a b c David Shearer C.V. Scoop.co.nz
- ^ a b c d e f SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS DAVID Shearer Of New ZeAland Department of Public Information, News and Media Division, 2007
- ^ [1] 1993 New Years Honours List
- ^ Interview with David Shearer, UN Humanitarian Coordinator IRIN, 23 August 2006
- ^ Field, Michael (3 May 2009). "David Shearer Labour's man in Mt Albert". Stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2380732/David-Shearer-Labours-man-in-Mt-Albert. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ Anna Rushworth and Nicola Shepheard (14 June 2009). "Shearer defends 'fortress' for Labour". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10578352.
- ^ "Official Count Results -- Mt Albert". Electoral Commission. 10 December 2011. http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_2011/electorate-26.html. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
- ^ "Shearer, Robertson new Labour leaders". 3 News. MediaWorks New Zealand. 13 December 2011. http://www.3news.co.nz/Shearer-Robertson-new-Labour-leaders/tabid/419/articleID/236330/Default.aspx. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
[edit] External links
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Helen Clark |
Member of Parliament for Mount Albert 2009- |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Phil Goff |
Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party 2011 – |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Phil Goff |
Leader of the Opposition 2011 – |
Incumbent |
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