Simon Bridges

Experience:
Prior to standing for Parliament, Simon was a Senior Crown Prosecutor in the District and High Courts. Simon had been a prosecutor in Tauranga since 2001, working largely on jury trials. He moved to Tauranga from a role as litigation lawyer at a major legal firm based in Auckland. He has worked as a volunteer in local organisations and on neighbourhood projects. He enjoys being active in the community and the great lifestyle that Tauranga has to offer.

 

Education:
Simon was educated at the University of Auckland, completing a BA (Political Science and History) and a LLB (Hons). He received a Senior Law Prize. He later completed a Bachelor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford. He also went to the London School of Economics and worked as an intern at the British House of Commons, after receiving the Chevening-Hansard Society Fellowship.

 

Member of Parliament for Tauranga:
Simon was selected as National’s candidate for Tauranga in June 2008, and elected that year as the MP for Tauranga. He was successful again in 2011, winning his seat with the 5th highest majority support in New Zealand.

 

Since being elected in 2008, Simon has been a member of the Law and Order Select Committee, the Auckland Governance Select Committee, the Maori Affairs Select Committee and is a former Deputy-Chairperson of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee. In the current Parliament, he was the Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee and member of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee until he became a Minister in April 2012.