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Desley Simpson

Desley Simpson is a New Zealand local government serving as of and for the Ōrākei Ward. With over 15 years in local politics, Simpson previously chaired the Orakei Local Board unopposed for six years starting in 2010 and the Hobson Community Board under Auckland City Council. Her tenure has emphasized fiscal responsibility, including leading the construction of key walkways, securing recreational spaces like Colin Maiden Park, eliminating sports field fees in her ward, and initiating a "value for money" program that achieved $260 million in savings over two years. Simpson comes from a with a in governance, including a great-great-uncle who served as the city's sixth and a grandfather prominent in harbor board . In 2025, she departed from the right-leaning Communities and Residents political grouping, though the specific motivations remain undisclosed in public statements.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Desley Simpson, née Lawson, was raised in the affluent suburb of by her parents, Stanley and Leonie Lawson. Her mother served as head of music at Diocesan School for Girls, an institution Simpson later attended, reflecting a family environment connected to education and cultural activities. Simpson's family history included notable figures in public service, such as her great-great-uncle Sir Henry Brett, who was Mayor of Auckland in the 1870s, and her maternal grandfather Sir James Donald, a government minister and long-serving member of the Auckland Harbour Board. She has described her parents as supportive and has referenced a younger brother in recounting her upbringing. This privileged background in a stable, community-oriented household provided the early context for her development in New Zealand's largest city.

Formal Education and Early Influences

Desley Simpson attended Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland, a private Anglican institution emphasizing academic and extracurricular development. During her time there, she received formal training in organ playing, a skill she has maintained throughout her life as a practicing organist. This musical education occurred under the direct influence of her mother, Leonie Lawson, who served as the school's Director of Music for 33 years and founded the Auckland Girls' Choir, fostering an environment of disciplined artistic pursuit. In 1998, Simpson qualified and was appointed as a , a voluntary role requiring adherence to ethical standards and involving public notarial services such as witnessing documents and affidavits. This certification, granted by the , marked an initial step into formal civic duties, predating her political involvement and highlighting her early orientation toward community-oriented responsibilities. Her pre-political experiences, including sustained community activity as an and , contributed to a foundation of practical service that emphasized reliability and local engagement over partisan activity. No records indicate formal business or vocational training beyond these elements, aligning her early path with cultural and civic rather than commercial pursuits.

Political Career

Orākei Local Board Service (Pre-2016)

Desley Simpson was elected to the Ōrākei Local Board in the inaugural 2010 Auckland Council elections, representing an affluent, predominantly conservative-leaning area encompassing suburbs such as Orākei, Saint Heliers, and Glendowie. She was appointed chairperson unopposed at the board's formation and retained the role without contest following her re-election in 2013, serving continuously until standing for a council-wide position in 2016. This six-year tenure reflected strong local support and internal board consensus, as evidenced by the absence of leadership challenges in a ward known for prioritizing fiscal prudence and community-focused governance. During her chairmanship, Simpson prioritized grassroots infrastructure enhancements and resident engagement to address local needs efficiently within constrained budgets. Key initiatives included revising outdated concept plans for pedestrian and cycling pathways, such as the "Pathways to the Sea" project, which updated a 2005 draft early in the board's first term to improve access to coastal and park areas while aligning with community feedback. The board under her leadership also advanced walkway developments, including upgrades at , facilitating better recreational connectivity and demonstrating tangible delivery of low-level public amenities without reliance on expansive capital spends. These efforts underscored Simpson's approach to local governance, emphasizing practical outcomes over ideological posturing in a politically right-leaning constituency skeptical of bureaucratic overreach. Board minutes from the period record routine approvals for community association partnerships and facility maintenance, contributing to sustained resident satisfaction that supported her unopposed leadership continuity.

Auckland Councillor Role (2016–2022)

Desley Simpson was elected to Auckland Council in the 2016 local elections as the councillor for the Ōrākei Ward, defeating challengers by a substantial margin to represent a diverse array of eastern and central suburbs including Parnell, Newmarket, Grafton, Ōrākei, Mission Bay, Kohimarama, St Heliers, Glendowie, Stonefields, Meadowbank, , and parts of St Johns. This ward, encompassing approximately 12 suburbs with a mix of residential, commercial, and coastal areas, allowed Simpson to advocate for suburban priorities amid Auckland's rapid urbanization pressures. She stood as a candidate for the Communities and Residents (C&R) ticket, a centre-right grouping emphasizing ratepayer value, , and restrained public spending over expansive council initiatives. Simpson secured re-election in the 2019 Auckland Council elections, continuing her representation of Ōrākei Ward voters who prioritized practical governance amid rising rates and infrastructure demands. During her tenure from 2016 to 2022, she focused on transport enhancements tailored to ward needs, including the delivery of safe shared paths along the Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive corridor while preserving vehicle lanes to avoid congestion for commuters reliant on road access. This approach reflected empirical concerns over Auckland Transport's projects, where cycleway implementations had previously reduced capacity on key arterials, prompting Simpson's push for balanced solutions that maintained traffic flow volumes exceeding 20,000 vehicles daily on affected routes. In housing policy, Simpson advocated against intensive developments in green spaces, successfully preserving Colin Maiden Park from high-density proposals that could have added hundreds of units but risked overburdening local infrastructure without commensurate ratepayer benefits. Her flood response efforts included supporting the elevation of flood-prone sections of Tamaki Drive, addressing recurrent inundation events that had disrupted access for thousands of residents in low-lying coastal suburbs like Kohimarama and , where historical data showed annual closures due to stormwater overflow. These initiatives aligned with C&R's , prioritizing cost-effective mitigations—such as dredging to save $1 million in disposal fees—over broader council spending, contributing to ward-specific outcomes like upgraded community assets including the Mission Bay fountain restoration and environmental protections at sites like Waiatarua Wetland.

Deputy Mayoral Appointment and Tenure (2022–Present)

In October 2022, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown appointed Desley Simpson, then the councillor for the Ōrākei Ward, as , announcing the decision on 27 October following his election victory. Brown cited Simpson's integrity, professionalism, and loyalty as key factors in the selection, positioning her to support executive functions including public communication and coordination during emergencies. During her initial tenure, Simpson assumed prominent roles in , particularly amid the severe weather events of early 2023, including the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods that caused widespread damage and prompted a . She fronted public communications on recovery efforts and coordinated council responses when the mayor's direct involvement was limited, as noted in reviews of the flood handling. In May 2023, amid further heavy rainfall, Brown delegated emergency powers to Simpson, enabling her to oversee operational decisions for response and recovery. Simpson's tenure continued into the 2025 local government elections, held from 9 September to 11 October, where she was re-elected unopposed as Ōrākei Ward . Mayor secured re-election with a substantial margin, defeating challenger Kerrin Leoni by approximately 90,000 votes based on provisional tallies. On 11 October 2025, re-appointed Simpson as , emphasizing her experience to foster council unity and stability in the new term. Following official results confirmation on 17 October 2025, Simpson and returned to offices by 14 October, prioritizing immediate on improvements and collaborative governance to address ongoing city challenges. In late October 2025, Simpson contributed to public tributes after a fatal bus crash on Tāmaki Drive involving an electric bus, coordinating with on incident response and safety communications.

Policy Positions and Achievements

Fiscal Conservatism and Governance Priorities

Desley Simpson's fiscal conservatism emphasizes prudent resource allocation to maximize value for ratepayers, prioritizing measurable efficiency over unchecked expenditure growth in Auckland Council operations. She has advocated for rigorous scrutiny of council spending to eliminate waste, describing control of "wasteful spending" as a top priority to prevent undue burdens on households through excessive rates increases. This stance critiques historical patterns of council bloat, where operating costs rose faster than service delivery warranted, by insisting on empirical evaluations of return on investment for initiatives like infrastructure projects. As chair of the Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee since , Simpson has driven governance priorities centered on cost containment and financial sustainability, including a value-for-money program that delivered $600 million in net benefits to Aucklanders in 2025 by reducing operational expenses while maintaining . Under her oversight, the council achieved $608 million in cumulative savings—the largest in any term—three months ahead of schedule, with measures like property portfolio reviews yielding $17 million annually in efficiencies without additional costs to ratepayers. These efforts reflect a commitment to alternatives like targeted asset optimization over reliance on or broad , while opposing steep rates hikes—such as a proposed 20% increase in —as unacceptable without corresponding cuts. Simpson's priorities extend to devolving to local boards for more responsive , enhancing in areas like allocation and reducing centralized inefficiencies that dilute ratepayer . She supports property rights through balanced approaches to development funding, such as targeted rates on commercial properties to renew urban areas without generalized fiscal strain, while maintaining skepticism toward expansive centralized planning that overlooks localized fiscal realities. Empirical outcomes under this framework, including 95% delivery rates during recovery periods, demonstrate that restraint enables sustained —$39 billion planned over a —without the inflationary spirals critiqued in prior left-leaning expansions. This data-driven approach counters narratives portraying fiscal caution as detrimental, as evidenced by Auckland Council's ability to exceed savings targets ($66.6 million in one cycle) while advancing priorities like tourism funding sustainability and rail upgrades, thereby preserving affordability amid a $525 million pre-2022 funding gap.

Key Contributions to Auckland Infrastructure and Community

In the aftermath of the and , Simpson led negotiations resulting in a $2 billion cost-sharing agreement with the , finalized in August 2023, which funded storm recovery, flood protection enhancements, and transport infrastructure repairs across the region. Locally in Ōrākei ward, she facilitated the installation of AI-driven hotspot cameras in to monitor flood risks and the deployment of preventative floodgates at Kohimarama, which sustained no damage during July 2025 storms. Simpson advanced several infrastructure projects in Ōrākei ward, including raising sections of Tamaki Drive and installing large catchpits in 2023 to mitigate flooding, complemented by ongoing drain inspections in 2025. She also oversaw a $13.2 million upgrade at Judges Bay, completed in 2025, which removed longstanding no-swim advisories, and a $1.8 million main renewal in , finished in April 2025, aimed at reducing service outages. Additional efforts included repairs to storm-damaged floating pontoons at The Landing in July 2025 and the initiation of Stage 4 of the Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive shared path in September 2024, projected for completion in 2025 to improve connectivity. On the community front, Simpson coordinated the planting of 5,000 native plants at Churchill Park with volunteers in July 2025 to bolster local green spaces and launched the Take 10 initiative in Auckland's in July 2025, providing a supervised area open from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays to enhance nighttime safety. Following her re-election in October 2025, Simpson prioritized water infrastructure fixes, transport reforms—including advocacy for shifting decision-making powers from to elected officials to restore public trust—and improvements to and road networks in alignment with Wayne Brown's fiscal efficiency goals.

Controversies and Criticisms

Tensions with Mayor Wayne Brown

During the January Auckland floods, Desley Simpson experienced a verbal slip on , referring to Mayor Wayne Brown as "part of the problem" in the , which she immediately attributed to a mistake and described herself as "devastated" over the unintended remark. Amid the crisis, Simpson frequently handled public communications in Brown's stead, including at a tense at Fire Station where she physically guided him away from persistent media questioning to conclude the event. Brown later defended his lower profile during the floods, emphasizing Simpson's front-facing role while acknowledging his own "dropped the ball" in initial preparations. In early 2025, reports emerged on February 2 that intended to request Simpson step down as if re-elected, which she dismissed as "beyond bizarre" upon learning via media rather than directly. Tensions escalated in when remarked that Simpson, then mulling a mayoral challenge, was primarily interested in aiding constituents to acquire Lamborghinis, leading to his public apology on April 7 for the personal slight. Mayoral contender Kerrin Leoni criticized for "bully behaviour" toward Simpson over the incident, urging her to enter the race undeterred. Simpson, however, reaffirmed her backing of by announcing on June 5 her intention to serve another term as his if both re-elected, citing alignment on key priorities despite public frictions.

Departure from Communities and Residents (C&R) Group

In May 2025, Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson formally departed from the Communities and Residents (C&R) group, ending her affiliation with the ticket under which she had contested and won elections since her 2016 entry to the Auckland Council. This exit followed indications as early as December 2024 that she was no longer a C&R member, with her profile quietly removed from the group's website prior to public confirmation. Simpson's departure came after more than 17 years in Auckland local politics, including her prior service on the Orākei Local Board from 2010 to 2016, during which she aligned with C&R principles of fiscal responsibility and community-focused governance. The move positioned Simpson to join a proposed associated with Wayne Brown's "Fix Auckland" , emphasizing pragmatic solutions over traditional party structures. C&R confirmed the split without detailing internal conflicts, and reporting outlets corrected earlier accounts to excise unverified claims of or , underscoring a lack of substantiated for such interpretations. Observers noted the decision reflected Simpson's prioritization of alignment with Brown's non-partisan approach to 's infrastructure and fiscal challenges, potentially constrained by C&R's broader ticket dynamics amid evolving local electoral strategies. Subsequent developments affirmed the strategic nature of the exit: on June 5, , Simpson endorsed 's re-election bid and explicitly ruled out her own mayoral candidacy, committing to continue as if both were returned. This independence from C&R facilitated her unopposed path to re-election in the October local elections, where she secured her council seat and deputy role, demonstrating voter support for her individual record over factional ties. The departure highlighted Simpson's resilience in navigating Auckland's polarized political landscape, favoring governance continuity with rather than C&R's collective platform.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Desley Simpson married Peter Goodfellow, a businessman and former president of the from 2009 to 2022, in an intimate ceremony on April 19, 2014. Goodfellow's leadership role in the conservative-leaning party underscores familial ties to New Zealand's center-right political establishment. Simpson was previously married to Scott Simpson, the National Party for Coromandel, with whom she separated around 2004–2005. Simpson and Goodfellow reside in Remuera, where the Desley Simpson Family Trust—of which she serves as trustee—holds family-owned property. She has one daughter, Ashleigh, from her first marriage, as well as two grandchildren, Arabella and Barrett. Simpson embraces her role as a grandmother, self-identifying as a "Glam-ma" and emphasizing family-oriented values in public reflections. In line with Auckland Council declarations, Simpson maintains no directorships or other governance roles in businesses, avoiding potential conflicts related to family holdings.

Community Involvement and Public Persona

Desley Simpson serves as a Justice of the Peace, undertaking non-partisan civic duties such as witnessing documents and providing notarial services to the public. These roles extend her community service independently of her elected positions, emphasizing volunteer-based contributions to administrative fairness. In addition to formal duties, Simpson engages in anonymous acts of kindness to foster joy within Auckland communities, reflecting a personal commitment to uplifting residents without seeking recognition. She has also participated in cultural events, including rushing from celebrations to congratulate Wayne Brown on his re- on October 10, 2025, and attending the BNZ Diwali Festival the following day, underscoring her involvement in multicultural festivities amid the local election period. Simpson's public persona is characterized by a reassuring demeanor during emergencies, as evidenced by her prominent role in media briefings during the 2023 Auckland floods, where she offered steady guidance to affected residents. Despite representing the affluent Ōrākei ward and expressing appreciation for refined cultural pursuits, she counters superficial assessments by highlighting her substantive approach to public service, encapsulated in her statement against judging "a by its cover." This unpretentious style, combined with her trusteeship of the Auckland Organ Trust—where she supports preservation as an —portrays a multifaceted figure blending elegance with grounded accessibility.

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