Simon Dallow, born June 18, 1964, is a New Zealand journalist and former barrister. He spent more than three decades at TVNZ.
He is best known for anchoring 1News at Six for nearly twenty years.
Who is Simon Dallow?
Simon Dallow ranks among New Zealand’s most recognized broadcast journalists. He trained as a lawyer before switching careers entirely.
He later became the face of TVNZ’s flagship evening bulletin. Simon stepped down from that role in November 2025 after nearly two decades in the chair.
His path ran through law, European tourism, and finally television. That mix gave him a distinctive voice in New Zealand current affairs.
Early Life of Simon Dallow
Simon Ross Dallow was born on June 18, 1964, in Rotorua. His family soon moved to Auckland, where he grew up alongside three siblings.
He is the son of Ross Dallow. His brother is Matthew Dallow.
Simon attended St Peter’s College and Liston College in Auckland. He then enrolled at the University of Auckland to study law.
After finishing his law degree, he worked as a litigation and insurance lawyer in Auckland. He was heading to London on his OE when the 1987 stock market crash hit.
That crash changed his direction. Simon later said a career in bankruptcy law held little appeal, so he chose a different path entirely.
Simon Dallow Age
Simon Dallow is 62 years old as of 2026, born on June 18, 1964. His zodiac sign is Gemini.
He turned 62 shortly before this article’s publication. Simon spent 32 years at TVNZ before leaving his anchor chair at 61.
Simon Dallow Ethnicity and Nationality
Simon Dallow is a New Zealander by nationality. His background includes Māori and Jewish ancestry on different sides of his family.
He discovered his Māori whakapapa relatively late in life. Through his paternal line, Simon traces descent to Ngāti Pūkenga, with an affiliation to Ngāti Pikiao.
His family’s Māori connection had been hidden for decades due to social stigma around a mixed-race relationship in the early 1900s. Simon later made a TVNZ documentary about uncovering that history.
Simon Dallow Education
Simon completed his secondary schooling at Liston College and St Peter’s College in Auckland. He then studied law at the University of Auckland.
He graduated with a law degree and moved directly into legal practice. Simon worked as a litigation and insurance lawyer in Auckland before his career shift in 1987.
His legal training later shaped how he approached interviews and current affairs coverage. Simon has said his background in law gave him a useful grounding for questioning politicians and public figures.
Simon Dallow Career
Simon’s career took an unusual route before he ever appeared on screen. Few New Zealand anchors moved from courtrooms to tour buses to newsrooms.
Early Career
After the 1987 stock market crash disrupted his legal ambitions, Simon left law behind. He spent the next six years working as a tour director for Contiki Tours across Europe.
During those years, he guided travelers through major European cities. He also met his future wife, fellow Contiki staffer Alison Mau, while working there.
Simon returned to New Zealand in 1993. He joined TVNZ that year, entering journalism with no formal training in the field.
Major Positions Held
Simon’s first broadcasting role was on TV2’s Newsnight, alongside Alison Mau and Marcus Lush. From 1995, he and Mau presented the mid-evening edition of One Network News.
The pair moved to weekend bulletins in 1998 and married in 1996. Simon continued presenting weekend news until the end of 2003, when TVNZ shifted the format to a single presenter.
He went on to host several TVNZ current affairs programs, including One Mid Evening News, One Tonight, Agenda and Q+A. Agenda saw him interviewing senior politicians and moderating panel debates from 2004 to 2008.
Simon also hosted the national quiz show Test the Nation from 2003 to 2005. He fronted a radio program called Simon Dallow Today on the station Viva around 2005 and 2006.
In 2006, Simon won Favourite New Zealand Male Personality at the Qantas Television Awards, a Women’s Day Readers’ Choice category. That same year, he teamed up with Wendy Petrie as weeknight co-presenter of 1News at Six.
Current Role
Simon became the sole anchor of 1News at Six in 2020, after Wendy Petrie moved on. He held that seat until stepping down on November 28, 2025.
TVNZ announced his departure on November 3, 2025. Chief executive Jodi O’Donnell praised his exceptional work as a journalist and presenter over more than three decades at the network.
Since signing off, Simon has largely stepped back from daily broadcasting. His final message to viewers reflected on his goal of helping audiences understand the news without unnecessary influence.
Simon Dallow Political Career / Notable Coverage
Simon anchored coverage of some of New Zealand’s most significant modern events. These included the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes and the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks.
He also guided viewers through the Whakaari White Island eruption and the Covid-19 pandemic. Simon presented TVNZ’s coverage of Cyclone Gabrielle and numerous general elections during his tenure.
In 2012, Simon presented coverage of the London Olympic Games for TVNZ. He also anchored the network’s coverage of the Christchurch memorial service following the mosque attacks.
Beyond breaking news, Simon actively used te reo Māori in his broadcasts. That choice contributed to wider public acceptance of the language on mainstream New Zealand television.
Simon Dallow Awards and Recognition
Simon’s best-known individual honour came at the 2006 Qantas Television Awards. He won the Women’s Day Readers’ Choice Award for Favourite New Zealand Male Personality.
His departure from 1News at Six in late 2025 also brought wide recognition. Colleagues and viewers credited him with steady, trusted stewardship of the country’s most-watched news bulletin for nearly two decades.
Simon Dallow Wife
Simon married fellow TVNZ presenter Alison Mau in 1996. The couple met years earlier while both worked for Contiki Tours in Europe.
Together they anchored ONE News weekend bulletins as a husband-and-wife team from 1999 to 2003. Simon and Alison separated in 2009 and later divorced.
As of 2026, there is no publicly confirmed report of Simon remarrying. He has kept his personal life largely private since the separation.
Simon Dallow Children
Simon and Alison Mau had two children together during their marriage. Their names were reported publicly as Paris and Joel in earlier family coverage.
Both children have stayed largely out of the public eye since. Simon has generally avoided discussing details of their adult lives in interviews.
Simon Dallow Net Worth
Simon Dallow’s estimated net worth is $1.5 million as of 2026. His income has come primarily from his decades-long broadcasting career at TVNZ.
Additional earnings have come from event hosting and speaking engagements since his departure from 1News at Six. Simon is now represented by a New Zealand speakers agency for corporate and public events.
The Bottom Line
Simon Dallow anchored 1News at Six from 2006 until his final broadcast on November 28, 2025. That nearly two-decade run made him one of New Zealand’s most familiar news voices.
He switched from law to European tour guiding before ever appearing on television. Simon later discovered hidden Māori ancestry through his father’s side and made a documentary about that journey.
Since leaving TVNZ’s anchor desk, Simon has moved into event hosting and speaking work. We hope you enjoyed reading about Simon Dallow Journalist. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!