Potted Profile Of David Shearer

Tuesday, 13 December 2011, 12:13 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

David Shearer was born and raised in Auckland, he is 54-years-old and married to Anuschka and has two children aged 12 and 14.

David Shearer is the MP for Mt Albert and was Labour's Spokesperson for Tertiary Education and Research, Science and Technology prior to the election.

He entered Parliament in 2009 following the by-election in Mt Albert triggered by former prime minister Helen Clark’s resignation.

Shearer was handpicked by the then Labour leader Phil Goff and was working in Iraq for the United Nations at the time.

He had previously worked as Goff’s advisor when Goff was the minister of foreign affairs.

Shearer was on the Labour list in 1999 and stood for Labour in Whangarei in 2002, he was unsuccessful on both occassions.

He was awarded an MBE in 1993 for his aid work in Somalia and named 'New Zealander of the Year' by the New Zealand Herald.

He has worked in aid, peacekeeping and rebuilding projects with leadership roles in places such as Iraq, Somalia, Kosovo, Afghanistan for the United Nations and other organisations.

Some Links

Some Thoughts On Shearer

Shearer's Home Page

Shortly after the November 26 election, Shearer announced he would seek the leadership and outlined his views in a speech

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