Bob Parker (mayor)

Sir Bob Parker KNZM
Bob Parker in 2011
45th Mayor of Christchurch
In office October 2007 – October 2013
Preceded by	Garry Moore
Succeeded by	Lianne Dalziel
Personal details
Born	1953 (age 63–64)
Nationality	New Zealand
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	(2nd marriage) Joanna Parker-Nicholls
Residence	Christchurch Central City

Sir Robert "Bob" Parker KNZM (born 1953) is a former New Zealand broadcaster and politician. He served as Mayor of Christchurch from 2007 to 2013.

Parker grew up in the Christchurch suburbs of Heathcote Valley and Somerfield. He attended Christchurch South Intermediate and Cashmere High School. He studied an intermediate year in zoology at the University of Canterbury before undertaking casual work.

Parker got his first job on radio, in Nelson. His broadcasting career then took him to Christchurch, Wellington and then Auckland. He was the associate producer and original host (1984–1996) of the New Zealand version of the This is Your Life series after he purchased the New Zealand television rights for the show from Ralph Edwards Productions in California. He returned to Christchurch in 1992.

Parker's local government career spanned more than two decades. He first became politically active when he filled a councillor vacancy on the Banks Peninsula District Council in 1994. Having lived in Akaroa for several years, he served as mayor of Banks Peninsula District for two terms (2001–2006). He favoured amalgamation of the district with Christchurch City and led a high profile and controversial campaign leading to a poll in 2005. Amalgamation with the City was supported by 65% of the Peninsula's voters Amalgamation took place on 3 March 2006, at which Parker, after winning a by-election, became a Christchurch city councillor, and the sole Banks Peninsula representative on the council.

In 2006 Parker was elected as the independent chair of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy. This saw the bringing together of four local councils—Christchurch, Selwyn, Waimakariri and the Canterbury Regional Council—for a major planning undertaking based on creating a sustainable growth plan for the greater Christchurch area. The Strategy was adopted in 2007 by all of the member councils and is today the basis for all spatial planning in the greater Christchurch area.