Speaker

Simon Bridges was the National MP for Tauranga and is a former New Zealand Leader of the Opposition and senior Cabinet Minister. As a member of Cabinet in the last National-led Government, he held several ministerial portfolios including Energy, Transport, Communications, Economic Development and Leader of the House. During his tenure as a Minister, Simon helped roll-out nation-building infrastructure like Ultra-Fast Broadband, and opened major new roads like the Waterview Tunnel as Transport Minister. Mr Bridges also implemented policies during this period to grow the electric vehicle market, as well as investments in KiwiRail to improve public transport options in New Zealand. Prior to standing for Parliament, Simon was a litigation lawyer at prestigious law firm Kensington Swan in Auckland. He then moved to Tauranga in 2001, taking on the role of a senior Crown Prosecutor in the District and High Courts. Working largely on jury trials, Mr Bridges has prosecuted and put away hundreds of violent and serial offenders. Simon was educated at the University of Auckland, completing a BA (Political Science and History) and a LLB (Hons). He later completed a Bachelor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford, where he met his wife Natalie. They now have three young children. Today Simon is CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber and a non-executive chair and director on a number of company boards. He is a business person working in a range of sectors and enjoys media work including his regular Stuff podcast Generally Famous and his NBR column.