Simmons grew up in Ōkaihau (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]
Simmons speaking at the 2017 Wellington Central candidates debate
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]
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]
In July 2020, Simmons announced that he would contest the Rongotai electorate during the 2020 New Zealand general election.[14] At the beginning of his campaign for the seat Simmons spelled the name of the electorate incorrectly in his advertising as "Rongatai".[15]
During the 2020 election held on 17 October, Simmons came fourth place in Rongotai with 2,794 votes.[16] Based on full results published on 6 November, the TOP party won 43,449 party votes (1.5% of the popular vote).[17] Following the election results, Simmons and deputy leader Shai Navot emailed members, supporters, and donors, thanking them for their support.[18]
During the party's first annual general meeting held on 3 November, Simmons resigned as leader of TOP.[19]
Notes: Blue background denotes the winner of the by-election. Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list prior to the by-election. Yellow background denotes the winner of the by-election, who was a list MP prior to the by-election. A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
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