Simon Power

Infobox_Officeholder


honorific-prefix =
name=Simon James Power
caption=
constituency_MP=Rangitikei
term_start=1999
term_end=
parliament=New Zealand
predecessor=Denis Marshall
successor=
birth_date=birth date and age|1969|12|5
birth_place=NZL
death_date=
death_place=
spouse=
party=National
religion=
profession=Lawyer

Simon James Power (born 5 December 1969) is a New Zealand politician. He is currently one of the more prominent members of the National Party, the main opposition party. He serves as the National Party's chief whip, and as its justice and corrections spokesperson.

Power was educated in Palmerston North, attending St. Peter's College. He was prominent in the life of St. Peter's, captaining two senior sports teams and chairing the School Council. He later studied at Victoria University in Wellington, gaining first a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and then a Bachelor of Laws degree. For two years, he was President of the Victoria University Law Students' Society. He completed his university study in 1993.

After leaving university, Power worked as a lawyer in Palmerston North. For a brief period, he also worked in Auckland. In 1998, he decided to enter national politics. Having been a member of the National Party since the year he left university, he secured the party's nomination for Rangitikei, a predominantly rural area just outside Palmerston North. The seat was being vacated by sitting National MP Denis Marshall.

In the 1999 election, Power won Rangitikei. He defeated his opponent, the Labour Party's Craig Walsham, by slightly under three hundred votes. Once in parliament, Power became his party's spokesperson on Labour, Industrial Relations, and Youth Affairs. After he retained his seat in the 2002 elections, these roles were swapped for Justice, Tertiary Education, and Workplace Skills. In 2003, when Don Brash became leader of the National Party, Power's responsibilities were once again reshuffled, giving him the portfolios of Defence, Veterans' Affairs, and Youth Affairs.

In May 2004, Power caused controversy for his statement that (as regards defence and foreign affairs) "where Britain, the United States and Australia go, we go". Power later expressed regret for how the statement was interpreted, and party leader Don Brash said that it did not reflect National Party policy. In August of the same year, Power was moved from the defence position to that of chief whip. [http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/7/c/6/48MP30621-Power-Simon.htm]

Power is currently ranked in fourth place within the current National Party caucus, and is often considered to be one of its rising stars and a potential future party leader. With the recent resignation of Don Brash as Leader of the Opposition, Power retained high Opposition office after John Key's recent elevation.

External links

* [http://www.simonpower.co.nz Simon Power's official website]
* [http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/7/c/6/48MP30621-Power-Simon.htm Page on Parliamentary website]