Bob was born in Bruce Rock, Western Australia in 1951. He grew up on the family farm and went to boarding school in Perth. After spending four years farming, Bob crossed the ditch to live in Nelson in 1970 before moving to Christchurch six months later. He set up in business as a concrete paving and excavation contractor founding R A Shearing Contractors Ltd.

www.shearings.co.nz

Today Bob is still involved as a Director of the business, which is based in Sockburn and currently employs approximately twenty people.

Bob has a wealth of experience in the construction industry and is a past Chairman of the Canterbury Branch of the NZ Contractors Federation.

Bob is married to Lynn. He has a young daughter, Kathryn and two adult children, Lorna and Scott.
 

Bob’s Community Work

• Chairman, Rose Historic Chapel Trust 


• Chairman, Enrich Community Chaplaincy Trust
• Chairman, Church of the Holy Family Trust


• Chairman, Hornby Community Care Trust 


• Member of the Templeton Welfare Council


• Member of the Riccarton Bush Trust
• Member of the Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Trustees
• Member of the Wigram Airforce Museum Trust


• Member Hornby Rotary Club.  


Bob’s Council Work:

He sits on the City Council’s Audit and Risk Committee and is a Director of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd and the Canterbury Development Corporation.  As an appointee to the Community Board, Bob continues to be actively involved in local transport, environmental and community issues.

Boy Racers - As Chair of the Nuisances in Public Places Working Party, Bob continues to work with government and other agencies to bring in tougher penalties for ‘boy racer’ offences along with more stringent WOF requirements. Working with Council and Community Board he has overseen the addition of further streets where boy racers are banned from congregating. 

Waste - As Chair of the Zero Waste Working Party, Bob played a part in the successful implementation of Council’s Waste Policy and its new kerbside wheelie bin collection system. The bins were rolled out at the end of 2009 and early 2010 and have already made a difference. Separating recyclables, food and garden waste from general rubbish has saw 40,000 tonnes of rubbish less going to the Kate Valley landfill in the first five months of 2010. 

Roading - Through submissions made to Transit, and working with councillors and staff, he helped gain a funding commitment from Transit that allowed the building of the Southern Motorway to get underway. 

 
Bob has a Practical Background

Through farming and his successful contracting business, Bob has learnt not to wait for others to do what he can do himself.

Bob has the Experience

Through his business, his community involvement, his three terms on the Community Board and now his second term on Council, Bob has a wide range of experience to offer to the community.

Bob is Part of the Team

Bob is a member of the Riccarton Wigram Independent Citizens team all of whom live and are actively employed within this community.