David Shearer

David Shearer MBE
Shearer in the Mount Albert electorate, May 2009
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan
In office 1 January 2017 – 15 January 2021
Secretary-General	António Guterres
Preceded by	Ellen Margrethe Løj
Succeeded by	Nicholas Haysom
33rd Leader of the Opposition
In office 13 December 2011 – 15 September 2013
Prime Minister	John Key
Deputy	Grant Robertson
Preceded by	Phil Goff
Succeeded by	David Cunliffe
14th Leader of the Labour Party
In office 13 December 2011 – 15 September 2013
Deputy	Grant Robertson
Preceded by	Phil Goff
Succeeded by	David Cunliffe
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Mount Albert
In office 13 June 2009 – 31 December 2016
Preceded by	Helen Clark
Succeeded by	Jacinda Ardern
Personal details
Born	David James Shearer (1957-07-28) 28 July 1957 (age 66) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Anuschka Meyer
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Auckland University of Canterbury
Occupation	Politician, humanitarian worker
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David James Shearer MBE (born 28 July 1957) is a New Zealand United Nations worker and politician. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Labour Party from 2009 to 2016, serving as Leader of the Opposition from 2011 to 2013.

Shearer spent nearly 20 years working for the UN, managing the provision of aid to countries including Somalia, Rwanda, Liberia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq.^[1] In 1992, Shearer was (together with his wife) named as New Zealander of the Year by The New Zealand Herald.^[2] On 13 June 2009 he won the Mount Albert by-election and entered the House of Representatives. He was elected as leader of the Labour Party on 13 December 2011 but resigned on 15 September 2013, being succeeded by David Cunliffe.

Shearer resigned from Parliament in December 2016 and in 2017 was appointed to head the United Nations peace keeping mission in South Sudan.^[3] in January 2021, he was succeeded in the role by Nicholas Haysom.