Penny Simmonds
Penny Simmonds | |
|---|---|
Simmonds in 2023 | |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Invercargill | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Sarah Dowie |
| Majority | 10,945 |
| 17th Minister for the Environment | |
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon |
| Preceded by | David Parker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1959 (age 65) Southland, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse | Marty Irwin |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Otago |
Penelope Elsie Simmonds CNZM MP (born September 1959) is a New Zealand politician, Member of Parliament and a Minister in the House of Representatives for the National Party. She previously served as the chief executive of the Southern Institute of Technology. Following the 2023 New Zealand general election, Simmonds assumed the disability issues, environmental, tertiary education and skills, and associate social development and employment portfolios in the Sixth National Government.