The Hon Simon Upton
Minister of State Services

This speaker's paper is available here.

The Hon Simon Upton, Minister of State Services, has been an MP since 1981 when he won selection as the National Party candidate for the Waikato electorate, aged 23. As a result of boundary changes, he was elected MP for Raglan in 1984. This he held until 1996 when he was elected as a National List MP.

Mr Upton was educated at Southwell School and St Paul's Collegiate in Hamilton. Subsequently, he took degrees in English and Law from the University of Auckland, and M.Litt in political philosophy from Oxford University. Mr Upton is a Rhodes Scholar.

When the National Government was elected in 1990, Mr Upton joined the cabinet as Minister of Health, Minister for the Environment and Minister of Research, Science and Technology.

After the 1993 election, Mr Upton was appointed to the Environment, Crown Research Institute, and Research, Science and Technology portfolios.

Since 1996 Mr Upton has, in addition to his current portfolios, held Biosecurity and Cultural Affairs portfolios.

In his capacity as Associate Foreign Minister, Mr Upton chairs the seventh session of the United Nation's Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). He has a website where he discusses a range of environmental and CSD issues.