66 Facts About Simon Bridges

Simon Joseph Bridges was born on 12 October 1976 and is a New Zealand retired politician, broadcaster and lawyer.

Simon Bridges served as Leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition between 2018 and 2020, and as the Member of Parliament for Tauranga from the 2008 election to May 2022, when he resigned.

Simon Bridges took the role of Leader of the House from May to October 2017.

Simon Bridges was elected as National Party leader on 27 February 2018, succeeding former Prime Minister Bill English, who resigned.

On 22 May 2020, following poor polling for the party, Simon Bridges was challenged for the party leadership and replaced by Todd Muller, who would relinquish the leadership less than two months later.

On 24 November 2021, Simon Bridges was sacked from the shadow cabinet of Judith Collins, who cited a crude comment he made to fellow MP Jacqui Dean in 2016 that had been previously dealt with, with Simon Bridges formally apologising to Dean in private.

Simon Bridges had intended to contest the election, but withdrew on the day of the vote and endorsed Christopher Luxon.

Simon Bridges announced his retirement from politics in March 2022 to care for his son, triggering a by-election.

Simon Bridges subsequently became CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber.

Simon Bridges began a career in broadcasting, launching his podcast Generally Famous with Stuff in 2022, and in 2024 became Chairperson of Waka Kotahi.

Simon Bridges was born in October 1976 in Auckland, the youngest of six children.

Simon Bridges's father, of Maori and Pakeha descent, was a Baptist minister, and his mother, a Pakeha from Waihi, was a primary school teacher.

Simon Bridges's father Heath's mother, Naku Joseph, was a member of Ngati Kinohaku, a hapu of the Ngati Maniapoto tribe, and associated with Oparure Marae near Te Kuiti, through which Bridges has family connections to former Labour Cabinet Minister Koro Wetere.

Simon Bridges grew up in Te Atatu, West Auckland, and attended Rutherford College.

Simon Bridges went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history, and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Auckland.

Simon Bridges began his legal career as a litigation lawyer in a major Auckland law firm, Kensington Swan.

Simon Bridges moved to Tauranga in 2001 to take up a position as a Crown prosecutor in the District and High Courts.

Simon Bridges ended his legal career in 2008, when he was nominated by the National Party to stand for election to the New Zealand Parliament.

Simon Bridges became a member of the Young Nationals in 1992 at the age of 16 and was elected Deputy New Zealand Chair in 1997.

Simon Bridges was active in National's West Auckland organisation as a member of MP Brian Neeson's electorate team.

Simon Bridges supported Neeson against a challenge by John Key for the National Party candidacy to contest the new seat of Helensville at the 2002 general election.

Simon Bridges then announced his candidacy for the party's selection to stand in the electorate, and resigned from his roles within the party.

In June 2008 Simon Bridges was selected as the party's candidate for the electorate.

Simon Bridges was placed at No 51 on National's party list.

Several opinion polls during the campaign suggested Simon Bridges was likely to win the seat by a large margin.

Simon Bridges won the seat with a majority of 11,742 votes, against a field of 11 candidates, including New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

Simon Bridges sponsored a Private Member's Bill to increase penalties for animal cruelty, which was drawn from the ballot in early 2010.

In January 2013 Simon Bridges moved into the Cabinet and became Minister of Labour and Minister of Energy and Resources.

Simon Bridges continued as Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues, but was no longer Minister of Consumer Affairs and Associate Minister of Transport.

Simon Bridges made regular appearances on TVNZ's Breakfast programme as part of the "Young Guns" feature, in which he appeared alongside Labour MP Jacinda Ardern.

Opponents perceived that Simon Bridges had wrongly approved the exploration in a sensitive area, however this was denied by Simon Bridges and John Key.

Opponents criticised the government for using its advantage inappropriately in the Northland by-election campaign, especially since it was later revealed that Simon Bridges had asked officials for information on the 10 one-lane bridges days before the announcement.

However, John Key defended the request because Simon Bridges had sought factual information rather than policy advice, which is permitted under the Cabinet Manual rules.

Simon Bridges withdrew from the election process when it became clear Paula Bennett had the numbers to win.

New Prime Minister Bill English made changes to the Cabinet effective 20 December 2016, and Simon Bridges became Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Communications, and Associate Minister of Finance.

Simon Bridges retained his role as Minister of Transport and was no longer Minister of Energy and Resources, and Associate Minister of Justice, and Climate Change Issues.

Simon Bridges realised his desire to hold office was now out of reach, but he hoped to be New Zealand's first Maori prime minister, ideally at the next election.

Simon Bridges is the first person with Maori ancestry to serve as leader of the National Party.

Simon Bridges announced his Shadow Cabinet appointments on 11 March 2018.

On 13 August 2018 Newshub reported that Simon Bridges had spent $113,000 in taxpayer money on limousines and hotels between April and June 2018.

Simon Bridges publicly stated that he was "supremely confident" that his MPs were not behind the leak.

Simon Bridges claimed that the New Zealand Police were reportedly aware of the leaker's identity.

At a press conference on 15 October 2018, Simon Bridges implied that National MP Jami-Lee Ross had leaked his expenses.

Simon Bridges cited a PwC report which strongly suggested that Ross had been the leaker, based on text messages sent to a Radio New Zealand reporter, the Speaker of the House, and a police officer in the Botany electorate during the leak.

Simon Bridges rejected claims made by Ross in a series of tweets alleging that Simon Bridges had been trying to pin the blame on him for questioning his leadership decisions.

Simon Bridges indicated that National would seek disciplinary action against Ross.

On 16 October 2018, Ross alleged that Simon Bridges had violated election law several times, including accepting an illegal NZ$100,000 donation in May 2018, which Ross claimed that Simon Bridges had told him to cover up.

Simon Bridges publicly denied Ross' allegations as baseless and said it was a matter for the police.

Simon Bridges stated neither he nor anyone from National Party are among those who have been charged in relation to the donation allegations.

Simon Bridges said that the "resources and focus" available from his physical presence in Wellington were of use, and that it was not practicable for him to relocate there completely.

Simon Bridges's actions were defended by both the left-wing blogger Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury and right-wing blogger David Farrar, who compared him favourably to Health Minister David Clark's lapses during the lockdown.

On 2 July 2020, Simon Bridges was allocated the foreign affairs portfolio in Todd Muller's shadow cabinet and was moved down to the number 17 spot on the National Party list.

Besides retaining his foreign affairs portfolio, Simon Bridges assumed the justice portfolio.

On 19 February 2021 Simon Bridges attracted media attention when he criticised Police Commissioner Andrew Coster's efforts to combat gang and gun violence in New Zealand.

Simon Bridges described Coster as a "wokester commissioner" in a Twitter post.

Simon Bridges criticised Coster again in June 2021, claiming on Twitter that he witnessed a gang fight in the car park of a Tauranga hospital and adding "Just another day in the Bay of Plenty".

On 24 November 2021, amid speculations Simon Bridges was considering challenging Collins for the leadership, he was unexpectedly demoted from Collins' shadow cabinet due to allegations of "serious misconduct" relating to an interaction with fellow National Party MP Jacqui Dean in 2017.

Simon Bridges was one of only eight MPs to vote against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 in mid-February 2022.

Simon Bridges announced his retirement from politics in March 2022 to spend more time with family and pursue commercial and media opportunities, triggering a by-election.

Simon Bridges later revealed that his decision to retire was prompted by a life-threatening liver injury his son Harry received in December 2021.

Simon Bridges moved to Auckland in 2022, to become the CEO and spokesman for the Auckland Business Chamber, replacing Michael Barnett.

Simon Bridges has an arrangement with Stuff New Zealand involving an audio deal.

On 11 March 2024, Simon Bridges was appointed a member and chairperson of the New Zealand Transport Agency Board for a three-year term.

Simon Bridges grew up in a Christian household and has himself been a Christian since the age of 12 or 13.

Simon Bridges met his future wife Natalie, a British-born public relations consultant, while she was studying at the University of Oxford.

Simon Bridges has a personal superannuation scheme, like 241 other New Zealanders.