Party Of Five At Home With Simon Bridges

The Opposition Leader Reflects On A Whirlwind Six Months For Both His Family And Kiwi Politics

- Kelly Bertrand

As you’d imagine, Simon Bridges’ diary is bursting at the seams with events, meetings and appearances.

But as the Weekly chats to the Leader of the Opposition on the six-month anniversary of his time as head of the National Party, there’s an entry in the calendar that’s different from all the rest – bold, red and circled. Come hell or high water, Simon (41) will attend the most important event of the year – the Father’s Day breakfast at his four-year-old son’s kindy.

“Harry’s been on and on at me about it,” laughs Simon. “I’ve had so much pressure on the diary from him. For some reason, he’s fixated on it – it’s in his head, it has to happen.”

“There’s no way that’s moving!” chimes in Simon’s wife Natalie (35). “The invitation says you have to take your ‘Mr Incredible’ to breakfast… so there you go.”

It’s been a whirlwind few months for the Bridges family – Simon, Natalie, Emlyn (6), Harry (4) and eight-month old Jemima − since Simon took over the Nat’s leadership from former Prime Minister Sir Bill English in February. And in this relatively short amount of time, so much has changed for all of them. Currently facing his biggest political hurdle since taking the reins, as he tries to find out who leaked information of his expenses to the media, Simon agrees his work life has intensified in recent weeks.

But does he view the current political sparring over the supposed leak from his party, and the ensuing battle over parliamentary enquiries, the biggest challenge he’s faced?