Geoff Simmons

Geoffrey Leonard Simmons (born 27 December 1974) is an economist and former leader of The Opportunities Party (TOP), a political party in New Zealand. He stood for TOP in the February 2017 Mount Albert by-election, in the Wellington Central electorate in the 2017 general election, and in the Rongotai electorate in the 2020 general election.

Geoff Simmons
2nd Leader of The Opportunities Party
In office
August 2018 – 3 November 2020
Preceded byGareth Morgan
Succeeded byShai Navot
1st Deputy Leader of The Opportunities Party
In office
24 May 2017 – 14 December 2017
LeaderGareth Morgan
Personal details
Born (1974-12-27) 27 December 1974
New Zealand
Political partyTOP
Alma materUniversity of Auckland

Early life

Simmons grew up in Okaihau (Far North) and West Auckland,[1] the son of two teachers.[2] He graduated in economics from the University of Auckland.[3] He worked as an economic analyst for the New Zealand Treasury from 1999 to 2003.[4][3][1] He worked as an economic advisor for the UK Home Office in 2003–05 and then for the East Midlands Development Agency in 2005–08.[4] He was the general manager and an economist for the Morgan Foundation[2] (founded by Gareth Morgan) in Wellington from 2009 to 2016.[3][4][1] He has co-authored four books with Morgan, on health (Health Cheque: The Truth We Should All Know about New Zealand's Public Health System), fishing (Hook, Line and Blinkers: Everything Kiwis Never Wanted to Know about Fishing), Antarctica (Ice, Mice and Men: the Issues Facing our Far South) and food (Appetite for Destruction: Food – the Good, the Bad and the Fatal).[5] He is a Lancet Commission on Obesity Fellow.[6]

Simmons has done acting, including improvisational theatre, since he was at secondary school. He has performed with the Improv Bandits, a professional troupe in Auckland, Best on Tap in Wellington, and Stagecraft at the Gryphon Theatre in Wellington. He teaches with the Wellington Improv Troupe.[3]

Political career

2017 general election

In the February 2017 Mount Albert by-election, Simmons stood as a candidate for the Opportunities Party (TOP), founded by Gareth Morgan.[2][7] He came third, with 623 votes, 4.56% of 13,649 valid votes.[8]

On 24 May 2017, Gareth Morgan announced that Simmons as the deputy leader of TOP and their candidate in the Wellington Central electorate in the 2017 New Zealand general election.[9][2] During the 2017 election for Wellington Central held on 23 September, Simmons came fourth place with 2,892 votes.[10]

TOP revamp and leadership

In December 2017, three months after the election, Morgan resigned as leader and Simmons and two candidates also stepped down from their roles.[11] In August 2018, TOP appointed Simmons as interim leader until an election of party members could be held to determine a replacement to Morgan. In the ensuing internal leadership election, Simmons contested the position with four other candidates. On 8 December 2018, the party board announced Simmons had been successful.[12]

During the TOP's party relaunch held in October 2019, Simmons delivered a speech advocating a universal basic income and "breaking the Labour / National duopoly".[13]

2020 election

In July 2020, Simmons announced that he would contest the Rongotai electorate during the 2020 New Zealand general election.[14]

During the 2020 election held on 17 October, Simmons came fourth place with 2,794 votes.[15] Based on full results published on 6 November, the TOP party won 43,449 party votes (1.5% of the popular vote).[16] Following the election results, Simmons and deputy leader Shai Navot emailed members, supporters, and donors, thanking them for their support.[17]

During the party's first annual general meeting held on 3 November, Simmons resigned as leader of TOP.[18]

References
  1. "Geoff Simmons". TOP.
  2. Manktelow, Tim (14 August 2017). "Interview with Geoff Simmons". Salient. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. "Not my day job: economic improv". The Big Idea. Te Aria Nui Charitable Trust. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  4. "Geoff Simmons". LinkedIn. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  5. "2016 speakers". Farming for the Future. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  6. "Lancet Obesity Fellows". World Obesity Federation. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  7. Lloyd Burr (1 February 2017). "Opportunities Party reveals Mt Albert candidate, new slogan". Newshub. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  8. "Mt Albert By-election Official Results". Electoral Commission (New Zealand). 8 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  9. "Gareth Morgan announces TOP first set of candidates". Scoop. 24 May 2017. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  10. "Wellington Central - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  11. Walters, Laura (14 December 2017). "TOP loses leader Gareth Morgan and three other candidates in matter of hours". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  12. "Parliamentary Leader Results" (PDF). d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  13. "TOP Brand Launch". The Opportunities Party. 8 October 2019. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  14. MacManus, Joel (9 July 2020). "TOP leader Geoff Simmons announces run in Rongotai". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  15. "Rongotai - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  16. "2020 General Election and Referendums - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  17. Orsman, Bernard (18 October 2020). "The New Conservatives and TOP plan to keep going after failing to make it into Parliament". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  18. "The Opportunities Party leader Geoff Simmons resigns, interim leader named". Stuff. 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020.
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