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Robert Simms (politician)

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The Honourable
Robert Simms
MLC
Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
Assumed office
4 May 2021
Preceded byMark Parnell
Area Councillor for the City of Adelaide
In office
22 November 2018 – 30 March 2021
In office
2014 – 9 September 2015
Senator for South Australia
In office
22 September 2015 – 2 July 2016
Preceded byPenny Wright
Personal details
Born (1984-03-26) 26 March 1984 (age 40)
Yorkshire, England, UK
Political partyGreens South Australia
Other political
affiliations		Australian Democrats
Residence(s)Adelaide, South Australia
EducationFlinders University
OccupationJournalist, political advisor
ProfessionBarrister

Robert Andrew Simms (born 26 March 1984) is an Australian politician, representing the Greens South Australia. He was a Senator for South Australia from 2015 to 2016, an Area Councillor for the City of Adelaide from 2014 to 2015 and from 2018 to 2021. Since May 2021, he has been a member of the South Australian Legislative Council.

Early life and education

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Simms was born on 26 March 1984 in Yorkshire, England,[1] the son of an English father and Australian mother originally from Broken Hill, New South Wales. The family moved to Australia in 1987 and settled in Adelaide, South Australia. Simms attended primary school in Flagstaff Hill before going on to Aberfoyle Park High School, where he was a member of the debating club and served on the student council.[2]

He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Honours), a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in politics and sociology) and a Graduate Certificate in Journalism.[3] In 2008 Simms was admitted as a barrister and solicitor.[4]

In 2015 he was part-way through a PhD in political philosophy at Flinders University, where he has also taught in the politics department.[3]

Early career

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He has worked in the community sector as a policy advocate, serving on the boards of a number of community organisations, including the Youth Affairs Council and AIDS Council of South Australia.[5]

He has also worked as a radio journalist and freelance writer.[3]

Political career

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Democrats and council

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Simms stood as a candidate for the Australian Democrats in the seat of Boothby at the 2004 federal election. He later stood for the Greens in Enfield at the 2010 state election, and Adelaide in the 2014 state election. He was elected as a City of Adelaide councillor in 2014, and was a co-convenor of the SA Greens in 2015. He resigned from the Council on 8 September 2015,[6] to fill a vacancy caused by Penny Wright's resignation from the Senate.[7]

Senate career

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Simms was a Greens member of the Senate, representing the state of South Australia, from 22 September 2015 until his defeat at the 2016 election. Until the appointment of James Paterson to the Senate in March 2016, he was the youngest serving senator and the second-youngest sitting MP (after Wyatt Roy).

As a senator, Simms was the Greens parliamentary spokesperson on higher education, LGBT rights and marriage equality—portfolios previously held by Senators Lee Rhiannon and Janet Rice.[8]

Simms was one of five openly-LGBTI members in the Parliament of Australia and supports marriage equality in Australia.[9]

State politics and return to city council

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After his defeat in 2016, Simms was the Greens' candidate for Adelaide again at the 2018 state election,[10] and received 12.6% of the first preference votes (third of four candidates).[11]

He was re-elected to City of Adelaide Council in 2018.[12]

Legislative Council

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In May 2021, he resigned from council for the second time, to fill a casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Mark Parnell on the South Australian Legislative Council.[13]

In March/April 2024, he has been active in the "Save the Cranker" movement to prevent historic live music pub The Crown & Anchor from being destroyed by developers. He introduced a motion to parliament to improve the state heritage laws,[14] and attended a large rally on 28 April 2024.[15][16] On 2 May 2024, it was reported that a watered-down version of his motion had passed the Legislative Council, in which MPs would be "encouraged" to make a submission to the State Commission Assessment Panel.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Former Senator Robert Simms". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ "First speech". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Robert Simms - About". Self-published. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.[self-published source]
  4. ^ "About Robert Simms". Australian Greens. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Robert Simms - Adelaide City Council". City of Adelaide. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Resignation from Adelaide City Council". Self-published. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.[self-published source]
  7. ^ "New Greens SA senator confirmed". AAP. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Greens reshuffle while all eyes on PM". Sky News. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  9. ^ Ireland, Judith (13 October 2015). "New senator Robert Simms talks of struggle to come out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Hon Robert Andrew Simms". Members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  11. ^ "District Results for Adelaide". Electoral Commission of South Australia. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Councillors". City of Adelaide. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Simms quits city council to fill Greens seat - again". InDaily. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  14. ^ Eccles, David (9 April 2024). "'Save the Crown & Anchor' fight to hit parliament". InDaily. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Thousands rally to Save the Cranker before key vote". Three D Radio. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  16. ^ Simmons, David (1 May 2024). "Libs to back Govt changes to Cranker protection push". InDaily. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  17. ^ Simmons, David (2 May 2024). "Amended Save the Cranker motion gets up in Parliament". InDaily. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
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