Simon Richard Hansford (born 3 June 1963) is an Australian Uniting Church minister who served as Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales & ACT between 2017 and 2023.
[1] He is known for his advocacy of changing drug laws in New South Wales[2][3] for his support of the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum[4] and that there is there is no place for domestic and family violence in his church.
His maternal grandfather was Rupert Grove (1906–1982), of whom the Australian Dictionary of Biography states: "in the progression towards the union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Australia, Grove made a decisive impact.
[7] Hansford attended Newington College (1970–1980) commencing in the Preparatory School at Lindfield.
[8] He studied for the ministry at the United Theological College (1988-1990) at North Parramatta, which is now a part of Charles Sturt University.