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Simon O'Connor

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Simon O'Connor
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Tamaki
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 November 2011
Preceded byAllan Peachey
Majority15,402
Personal details
Born (1976-02-25) 25 February 1976 (age 48)
NationalityNew Zealander
Political partyNational Party
Spouse
Rachel Trimble
​
(m. 2016)​
RelationsSimon Bridges (brother-in-law)
CommitteesForeign Affairs, Defence, and Trade
Websitesimon.org.nz

Simon David O'Connor MP (born 25 February 1976) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the National Party. He has represented the Tāmaki electorate since 2011. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade committee.

Early life

O'Connor was raised in Whangarei, the eldest of three children, where he attended St Mary's Primary School and Pompallier College. He was a keen fencer and was president of the Auckland University Fencing Club.

O'Connor completed training to be a Catholic priest, which involved working on the island of Taveuni in Fiji for two years at a vocational training centre, prison chaplaincy at Mount Eden Prison, military chaplaincy at Waiouru Army Base, and spending time with people in hospitals and hospices. He did not seek ordination, deciding instead to study and pursue a career in politics.[1]

O'Connor graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Political Studies (his Political Studies Honours dissertation looked at the works of Rene Girard), a Bachelor of Theology, and a Master of Arts with First Class Honours (Political Studies). He has also worked as a contracts manager for Southern Cross Insurance.[2]

O'Connor was the chairperson of Monarchy New Zealand between 2010 and 2012 and remains a board member.

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2011–2014 50th Tāmaki 62 National
2014–2017 51st Tāmaki 43 National
2017–2020 52nd Tāmaki 38 National
2020–present 53rd Tāmaki 35 National

In Government, 2011–2017

O'Connor has been involved in the National Party since 2005. He was Deputy Chair of the party's Northern Region before seeking the National nomination for the Maungakiekie electorate in 2008. He lost the selection contest to Sam Lotu-Iiga, who went on to win the seat, but O'Connor was appointed as a list candidate for the 2008 general election. He was selected as the party's candidate in the Tāmaki electorate following the withdrawal of sitting MP Allan Peachey shortly before the 2011 election[3] and was elected to Parliament.

From October 2014 to August 2017 he was chair of the Health Select Committee, where he chaired the then-largest enquiry in New Zealand Parliament's history, into euthanasia. He has also served as Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee and spokesperson for corrections.

In conscience votes, in 2012 O'Connor opposed raising the drinking age from 18, and in 2013 opposed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand.[4] In 2015 he opposed a bill which would ban street prostitution,[5] in 2016 supported a bill to allow Easter Sunday trading,[5] and in 2017 opposed the End of Life Choice Bill.[5]

In August 2015, O'Connor uploaded a Facebook video in which he looked at the 40 alternative flag designs shortlisted by the Flag Consideration Panel and responded with "no" to each flag until he turned to the current flag and said "yes".[6]

On 10 September 2017, two weeks before the general election and on World Suicide Prevention Day, O'Connor posted on Facebook that it was "strange" how Labour leader Jacinda Ardern was "concerned about youth suicide" but was "happy to encourage the suicide of the elderly, disabled, and sick" by way of her support of the End of Life Choice Bill.[7] The post was condemned by some politicians and social media.[7]

In opposition, 2017–present

During the 2017 general election in September, O'Connor was re-elected in the Tāmaki electorate, defeating Labour candidate Sam McDonald by 15,042 votes.[8]

In February 2018, as part of his responsibilities as Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade Committee Chair, he travelled to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit New Zealand troops.[9]

In March 2020, he attracted attention for a statement he made as part of his speech in opposition to the third reading of the Abortion Legislation Bill, where he repeated a quotation from the Bible in Latin: "Mihi vindicta: ego retribuam, dicit Dominus," which is translated as "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” The contrast between this and the criticisms of the bill's opponents in the speech given in support of it by Amy Adams was noted by journalist Richard Harman as a public expression of deep divisions on the issue between liberals and conservatives within the National Party caucus.[10]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, O'Connor retained Tāmaki by a margin of 8,068 votes.[11]

In response to the demotion of Simon Bridges by National leader Judith Collins on 24 November 2021, O'Connor resigned his portfolios, saying he no longer wanted to work with Collins.[12]

O'Connor was one of only eight MPs to vote against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022. In early February, O'Connor spoke against the Bill during its second reading, claiming during his speech that banning conversion therapy would erase gay and lesbian individuals, who would then be encouraged to live as transgender people. He also claimed that the Bill violated free speech by focusing on "hurt feelings." O'Connor's remarks were described as "transphobic and cringeworthy" by LGBT activist Shaneel Lal, who contended that he underestimated the ability of queer children to have dialogue with their parents. Similar sentiments were echoed by Auckland Councillor Richard Hills and Labour MP Marja Lubeck.[13] The Bill passed its third and final reading on 15 February 2022, becoming law.[14]

Member of IPAC

Since 2020, he has been a co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, an international group of legislators working towards reform on how democratic countries approach China, and specifically, the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed]

Personal life

On 10 December 2016, he married Rachel Trimble, the sister of fellow National MP Simon Bridges,[15][16] and has five step children.

References

  1. ^ Nats choose stalwart for Tamaki stronghold New Zealand Herald, 27 October 2011
  2. ^ Meet Auckland's new MPs The Aucklander, 1 December 2011
  3. ^ "National Selects Simon O'Connor as Tamaki Candidate". scoop. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Gay marriage: How MPs voted". The New Zealand Herald. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c First, Family. "Value Your Vote – 2017 General Election" (PDF). Valueyourvote.org.nz. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  6. ^ "National MP rejects flag change". Stuff.co.nz. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Jacinda Ardern wants old, disabled to commit suicide, National MP claims". 10 September 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Tāmaki – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  9. ^ Young, Audrey (12 February 2018). "Defence Minister switches view and expresses support for NZ deployment in Iraq". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  10. ^ Harman, Richard (19 March 2020). "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord". Politik. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Tāmaki – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Live: Simon Bridges demoted by National Party leader Judith Collins over allegation of misconduct - all the latest updates". Radio NZ. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  13. ^ Small, Zane (9 February 2022). "National MP Simon O'Connor receives backlash for voting against conversion therapy ban but activists fear law needs urgent changes". Newshub. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Politicians react as bill to ban conversion therapy passes". Radio New Zealand. 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  15. ^ Moir, Jo (10 December 2016). "Paula Bennett has won the battle for deputy Prime Minister and will team up with Bill English". Stuff. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  16. ^ Jones, Nicholas (12 February 2016). "National MP Simon O'Connor to marry Minister Simon Bridges' sister". Bay of Plenty Times. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Tāmaki
2011–present 		Incumbent
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