Ian John Shearer was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, environmentalist and research scientist.
10 Facts About Ian Shearer
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Ian Shearer received his education from Whakatane Primary and Whakatane High School.
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Ian Shearer completed bachelor's and master's degrees at Massey University in agricultural science and a PhD in reproductive physiology at the University of Nottingham.
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Ian Shearer spent nine years as an animal scientist at the Ruakura Research Centre before becoming a member of parliament in 1975.
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Ian Shearer represented the Hamilton East electorate in Parliament from 1975 to 1984, when he was defeated by Bill Dillon.
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In 1985, Ian Shearer publicly questioned the National Party on membership and finances, which resulted in the suspension of his membership in October of that year.
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Ian Shearer later joined the New Zealand First Party which was largely made up of National Party dissidents and stood as the New Zealand First candidate in the Onehunga electorate at the 1993 general election, losing to Labour's Richard Northey.
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Ian Shearer published his autobiography The Boy from the Bay in 2006.
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Ian Shearer was married twice, firstly to Sandra May Griffiths, the daughter of Ivor David Griffiths on 5 December 1964, and secondly to Cheryl.
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Ian Shearer died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at his home in Whakatane on 1 June 2021.