Simeon Brown | |
|---|---|
.png) Brown in 2023 | |
| 45thMinister of Health | |
| Assumed office 24 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | Shane Reti |
| 19thMinister for State Owned Enterprises | |
| Assumed office 24 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | Paul Goldsmith |
| 4thMinister for Auckland | |
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | Carmel Sepuloni |
| 29thMinister of Transport | |
| In office 27 November 2023 – 24 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | David Parker |
| Succeeded by | Chris Bishop |
| 18thMinister for Energy | |
| In office 27 November 2023 – 24 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | Megan Woods |
| Succeeded by | Simon Watts |
| 22ndMinister of Local Government | |
| In office 27 November 2023 – 24 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | Kieran McAnulty |
| Succeeded by | Simon Watts |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forPakuranga | |
| Assumed office 23 September 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Maurice Williamson |
| Majority | 10,050(2020) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1991-04-08)8 April 1991 (age 34) |
| Political party | National |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland |
| Signature |  |
| Website | simeonbrown.co.nz |
Simeon Peter Brown[2] (born 8 April 1991)[3] is a New Zealand politician andMember of Parliament in theHouse of Representatives for theNational Party. In January 2025, was appointed Minister of Health by Prime MinisterChris Luxon.
Brown was born in Rotorua in 1991.[3] His family moved toClendon Park, Auckland, in 2003, and he attendedManurewa High School.[4][5] Brown's mother was Chair of the localresidents' association, the Clendon Residents Group; Brown began attending meetings and became its secretary and, later, treasurer.[5] He then chaired the inaugural Manurewa Youth Council.[6] In 2013, he was appointed to the Manurewa Local Board following the resignation ofDaniel Newman.[7] In the2013 elections, he was elected to a full term on the board, where he also served as deputy chair.[8]
Brown studied at theUniversity of Auckland. There, he was president of the studentanti-abortion group, ProLife Auckland, and saw through the affiliation of the group with theAuckland University Students' Association.[9] The group was frequently challenged and disaffiliated in 2017 after a referendum by the student body.[10] Brown graduated with aconjoint degree of aBachelor of Commerce and aBachelor of Laws in 2016,[11] then worked as a senior associate at theBank of New Zealand.[8]
Brown entered a submission to parliament in which he opposed theMarriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013, which allows same-sex couples to legally marry.[12]
Brown stated, in an interview on his youth, that he was motivated to go into politics to stand up for the values of and fight for "hard work, personal responsibility and enterprise".[13]
In2014 he contested the parliamentary seat ofManurewa for theNational Party, but lost to incumbent Labour MPLouisa Wall by a large margin, and his list placing of 64th on National's list meant he was not elected to Parliament.[14]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–2020 | 52nd | Pakuranga | 60 | National | |
| 2020–2023 | 53rd | Pakuranga | 37 | National | |
| 2023–present | 54th | Pakuranga | 9 | National | |
Brown stood in the electorate ofPakuranga during the2017 general election. The seat is a National Party safe seat - at the time Brown's predecessorMaurice Williamson had held it since 1987. Brown was selected as the National Party's candidate to replace Williamson after he decided not to seek re-election.[15] Brown was elected with a majority of 14,886 votes.[16]
In February 2018, a private member's bill introduced by Brown was drawn from the ballot. The Bill would ensure that anyone who supplies drugs prohibited by thePsychoactive Substances Act 2013 receives a penalty consistent with the penalty prescribed for supplying a Class C Drug.[17] The Bill was strongly supported by family members of synthetic cannabis victim Calum Jones[18] but voted down by Parliament.[19]
Brown voted against theAbortion Legislation Act 2020, which effectively sought to remove abortion from the Crimes Act 1961.[20]Stuff political reporter Henry Cooke described the MP as "one of the most socially conservative MPs in [the National Party]".[21] He voted against theConversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 prohibitingconversion therapy on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.[22]
During the2020 New Zealand general election, Brown was re-elected in Pakuranga by a large margin of 10,050 votes,[23] making Pakuranga the safest seat for National in terms of the candidate vote.
In the November 2020 caucus reshuffle, led by National's leaderJudith Collins, Brown was admitted to the Shadow Cabinet, ranking 20 on the National Party's list, and held four shadow portfolios in Police, Serious Fraud Office, Youth and Corrections.[24]
In early May 2021, Brown received several death threats following his criticism ofGreen Party co-leaderMarama Davidson visiting a hui held by the WaikatoMongrel Mob. He had claimed that her visit was an insult to victims of gang-related crime.[25] In late May, Brown also received several threatening messages from Mongrel Mob members after he criticised a funeral procession in a tweet for allegedly taking over a road inHawke's Bay. These comments were passed onto the Police.[26] Louise Hutchinson, the Public Liaison for the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom, accused Brown of cultural insensitivity and of using gangs as a "politicking tool." Hutchinson also said that the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom had repeatedly invited Brown and the National Party to meet with them but that these invitations had been declined.[27]
In February 2022, Brown was one of only eight MPs to vote against theConversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022.[28]
In June 2022, Brown was caught in a controversy where he liked a Facebook post by fellow MPSimon O'Connor which expressed it was a "good day" followingDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization's overturn of US Supreme Court caseRoe v. Wade, which curtailed abortion rights in the US. Brown later apologised for liking O'Connor's post.[29][30]
On 19 January 2023, Brown was allocated the new Auckland issues portfolio in Party leaderChristopher Luxon'sshadow cabinet.[31]
On 27 May 2023, Brown stated during aBay of Plenty meeting about transport infrastructure that introducingbilingual road signs inEnglish andMāori would create confusion and that "they should all be in English." He made these remarks when he was asked his opinion onWaka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency's) proposal to introduce bilingual road signs.[32] Brown's remarks drew criticism from Prime MinisterChris Hipkins, who suggested that the National Party wasdog whistling on Waka Kotahi's bilingual road sign programme. In response to criticism, fellow National MPChris Bishop stated that National had no problems with bilingualism but opined that the agency should focus on repairing potholes and upgrading roads rather than bilingual road signs.[33][34] SeveralMāori National MPs includingTama Potaka,Harete Hipango, andShane Reti expressed disagreement with Brown, stating that they had no objections to bilingual road signs.[35]
During the2023 New Zealand general election, Brown retained Pakuranga by a margin of 18,710 votes, defeating Labour's Nerissa Henry.[36] Following the formation of theNational-led coalition government in late November 2023, he was appointed asMinister of Energy,Minister of Local Government,Minister of Transport, Minister for Auckland, and Deputy leader of the House.[37]
On 19 January 2025, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced Brown would be appointed as the nextMinister of Health, taking over fromShane Reti.[38] As part of thecabinet reshuffle, Brown relinquished his energy, local government and transport portfolios, which were picked up bySimon Watts andChris Bishop respectively. In addition, Brown became theMinister for State Owned Enterprises.[39]
On 30 April 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would invest in 25 new high speedelectric vehicle charging facilities along key routes between major urban centres.[40]
On 4 December 2023 Brown, in his capacity as Transport Minister, ordered that the transport agencyWaka Kotahi give primacy to its English name "New Zealand Transport Agency."[41][42] On 12 December Brown also confirmed that the Government would be keeping its election promise to abolish "blanket" speed limits on roads and highways. He also announced that he would write to inform Road Controlling Authorities about the changes and new rule.[43] On 21 March, Brown confirmed that Cabinet was developing new rules to replace the so-called "Nanny state" speed limit reductions of the previous Labour Government.[44]
On 16 December Brown, in his capacity as Transport Minister, instructed the New Zealand Transport Agency to halt the Transport Choices Programme which involved funding and working with various local council projects to promote cycling, walking and public transportation.[45] In early November 2023, the Transport Agency had unilaterally halted funding for the Transport Choices Programme amidst coalition talks to form the next National-led government.[46] Notable projects affected by the Government's transportation policy change included the "Let's Get Wellington Moving" programme.[47] On 14 January 2024, Brown confirmed the cancellation ofAuckland light rail, stating that the cost of the project was unsustainable for taxpayers.[48]
On 19 March 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would reduce the proposed road user charge onhybrid vehicles from NZ$53 per 1,000km to NZ$38. Earlier, the Parliamentary transport select committee had adopted a Labour and Green proposal to reduce the road user charge for hybrid vehicles to NZ$38 against the wishes of committee chair and NZ First MPAndy Foster.[49] Earlier in January 2024, Brown had announced that the Government would implement road user charges on bothelectric vehicles and plug-in hybrids from 1 April 2024.[50]
On 9 July 2024, Brown announced that the Government would ease Clean Car Standard Rules to comply with Australian fuel efficiency standards. In response clean car lobby group "Drive Electric" said that weakening fuel efficiency standards would lead to highpetrol anddiesel prices.[51] On 12 July, Brown announced that the Government would be introducing measures to reduce "excessive" road cone usage and to ease temporary traffic management costs.[52]
On 2 September 2024, Brown launched the Government'sNational Land Transport Programme, which invested NZ$32.9 billion in building 17 "Roads of National Significance" over the next three years. Brown also confirmed that the Government would invest NZ$6.4 billion from this sum into several public infrastructure projects including theCity Rail Link, Eastern Busway, Northwest Rapid Transit Corridor,Auckland Airport toBotany Busway, and the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility.[53] On 19 September, Brown announced that the Government would roll out new data collection vans to assess the condition of New Zealand roads and prevent potholes.[54]
On 5 October, Brown announced the Government's NZ$226 million roads resilience package to reduce the impact of severe weather events on roads and highways.[55]
On 14 December 2023 Brown, in his capacity as Local Government Minister, confirmed that the Government would introduce legislation in early 2024 to repeal the outgoingLabour Government'sWater Services Reform Programme and introduce its own water reform programme.[56][57] According to media organisationNewsroom, the Government planned to create a new type of financial separate council-owned organisations to finance water and wastewater infrastructure. Instead of the ten proposed water service entities, local councils would be responsible for complying with water regulation rules and water infrastructural investment.[58]
On 26 January 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would halt plans to progress legislation introduced by the previous Labour Government to lower the voting age to 16 years for local government elections.[59][60]
On 14 February Brown, as Local Government Minister, introduced legislation repealing the previous Labour Government'sThree Waters reform programme under urgency.[61] Brown also announced that the Government would introduce two new laws in 2024 and 2025 rolling its own "Local Water Done Well" programme, which would emphasise local control over water infrastructure and services.[62]
On 4 April 2024, Brown announced that local and regional councils which introducedMāori wards without polling residentswould have to hold referendums during the 2025 local elections or dissolve the wards they had established prior to the 2025 local elections. Brown also announced that the government would introducelegislation restoring the requirement for local councils to hold referendums on Māori wards by the end of July 2024.[63] This bill passed on 30 July 2024.[64][65]
On 5 May 2024 Brown andMayor of AucklandWayne Brown jointly announced that Auckland would avoid a 25.8 percent rates increase as part of the Government's Local Water Done Well plan.[66]
On 8 August 2024, Brown announced that council-controlled organisations would be able to borrow money for water infrastructure from the Local Government Funding Agency. Under the Government's first Local Water Done Well legislation, local councils have a year to develop plans for funding water services they need and ensuring their financial sustainability.[67] This legislation passed into law on 28 August 2024.[68]
Following his appointment as Minister of Health on 19 January 2025, Brown reiterated that abortion rights and access to abortion services would not change under his watch, stating "every politician has views but what I'm saying is my personal views have been on the public record but we're not changing the legislation." Brown has expressedpro-life views and once liked a social media post by fellow National MPSimon O'Connor welcoming theSupreme Court of the United States's2022 ruling overturningRoe v Wade.[69] TheAbortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand wrote a letter to Prime Minister Luxon expressing concern about Brown's appointment due to his anti-abortion views and activism, saying "Given Mr Brown's persistent opposition to New Zealanders' bodily autonomy in the face of massive public support for abortion – 78% of New Zealanders support the right to an abortion – his appointment leaves us concerned and perplexed about the state of affairs."[70]
On 31 January 2025, Brown confirmed that the newDunedin Hospital would be built on the site of the formerCadbury factory at a cost of NZ$1.9 billion. He ruled out earlier plans to refurbish the current hospital site. Brown also confirmed that the new hospital would have 351 beds, 20 short-stay surgical beds, 24 theatres, 58 emergency department spaces and 20 imaging units for CT, MRI and X-ray procedures.[71][72] Brown's announcement was greeted by 35,000 protesters opposed to the cutbacks to the new hospital design.[71]
On 11 February 2025, Brown confirmed that the Government'sfluoridation policy would not change despite coalition partnerNew Zealand First introducing a member's bill to repeal theHealth (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 which empowered theDirector General of Health to mandate local councils to fluoridate their drinking water supplies, restoring the right to local communities and councils. TheWhangārei District Council andRotorua Lakes Councillor Conan O'Brien had challenged directives by the Director-General to fluoridate their water supplies, with the latter requesting an inquiry into the safety of water fluoridation.[73][74] Brown reiterated the Government's position that water fluoridation was a "safe, effective, and affordable measure for improving oral health."[74]
On 6 March 2025, Brown confirmed the Government would lower the bowel screening eligibility age range from 60 to 58 years, using funding from a cancelled programme established by the previousLabour government to lower the eligibility age forMāori andPasifika New Zealanders from 60 to 50 years.[75] On 7 March, Brown announced a major overhaul ofHealth New Zealand including reinstating its leadership board, decentralisation and promoting private-public partnership.[76]
On 15 April 2025, Brown disagreed with theAssociation of Salaried Medical Specialists union's planned strike on 1 May 2025, claiming that senior doctors were "well supported" and saying that the strike would delay healthcare and operations for thousands of New Zealanders.[77] On 16 April, Brown announced New Zealand's first "Health Infrastructure Plan," which seeks to invest NZ$20 billion in upgrading the country's health infrastructure.[78]
In mid-May 2025, Brown announced that the New Zealand Government had allocated NZ$164 million from the2025 New Zealand budget to expanding urgent and after-hours healthcare services nationwide over the next four years. This includes establishing new urgent and after-hours care services inDunedin,Counties Manukau,Whangārei,Palmerston North andTauranga.[79]
In mid June 2025, Brown announced that the Government would be introducing legislation to amend thePae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022; which provides the statutory framework for New Zealand's healthcare system. The proposed changes including enshrining a new statutory purpose to ensure that patients receive "timely" quality care, legislated health targets to improve accountability and management, reforming governance and financial oversight withinHealth New Zealand including the selection of board members, reducing red tape and audit requirements, enhancing the advisorial role of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee, and repurposing the iwi-Māori Partnership Boards to focus on community engagement.[80]
On 21 July 2025, Brown announced that the New Zealand Government would contribute NZ$82.5 million to the establishment of theUniversity of Waikato's medical school. The University and private philanthropists would contribute the remaining NZ$150 million endowment figure.[81]
In early September 2025, Brown proposed that the doctors' unionAssociation of Salaried Medical Specialists engage with Health New Zealand in binding arbitration in an attempt to avert planned strike action. In response, the union's leader Sarah Dalton said that the union has already participated in an unsuccessful facilitated bargaining process with theEmployment Relations Authority. Dalton described the Health Minister's intervention as "unusual and unhelpful," and suggested he was unfamiliar with employment law and the collective bargaining process.[82]
On 17 September, Brown addressed the annualNew Zealand Nurses Organisation's annual conference in Wellington. During his speech, nurses stood and turned their backs on the Minister to protest understaffing and unsatisfactory pay conditions at hospitals. The conference coincided with anInfometrics report revealing that New Zealand's hospitals were 600 nurses short per shift in 2024.[83]
Brown is a Baptist Christian,[1] who attends church regularly.[84] He lives in his electorate in Auckland with his wife Rebecca. Together they have four children.[85][86][87][88]
Despite their differing politics, Brown also developed a constructive relationship withMayor of WellingtonTory Whanau.[5]
Among senior business leaders surveyed in the NZ Herald’s 2025 “Mood of the Boardroom” report, Brown ranks relatively high: seventh out of all Cabinet ministers, with a score of 3.61 out of 5 for ministerial performance.[89]
Recent coverage from RNZ and the New Zealand Herald describes escalating feuds between Brown and striking doctors, with his threats to consider legislative changes to prevent doctors from striking seen as “strong-arm tactics” that have alienated much of the medical community.[90][91]
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Pakuranga 2017–present | Incumbent |
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