Simmons was elected to the Australian House of Representatives seat of Calare at the 1983 federal election, after two unsuccessful attempts, representing the Australian Labor Party. Simmons was re-elected as Member for Calare at the 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1993 Australian federal elections. He was appointed Minister for Defence Science and Personnel in April 1989 in the third Hawke ministry. In April 1990, in the fourth Hawke ministry, Simmons became Minister for the Arts, Tourism and Territories. In December 1991, Simmons became Minister for Family Support from and Minister for Local Government in the first Keating ministry. Following the March 1993 Australian federal election, Simmons was not re-appointed to the second Keating ministry. During the National Tax Summit in 1985, Simmons initially raised the concept of a national identity card, later entitled as the Australia Card, as a measure to address community and government concern about tax evasion and tax avoidance; concerns over the extent of welfare fraud; fears over the extent of illegal immigration. Additionally, there was a belief expressed in some quarters that an identity card or national registration procedure might assist the government's administration processes. Legislation was introduced into Parliament and finally rejected by the Australian Senate in 1987 after significant community concerns, including privacy. Following his retirement from Parliament, Simmons conceded that he didn't think the concept would ever be accepted by the public. During his Parliamentary career, Simmons was the Australian representative at the UN in New York for three months and delivered an address on the apartheid policy in South Africa. Simmons retired from Parliament ahead of the 1996 federal election and moved to Newcastle.
Post political career
Since his retirement from politics, Simmons has served on a number of government and non-profit Boards, including: He served as the independent Chair, Western NSW Medicare Local, 2012–15 and currently serves as a director of Western Health Alliance t/a Western NSW PHN. In October 2017 he was appointed as the independent Chair, Asthma Australia Ltd. During 2006, Simmons was appointed by the NSW Minister for Local Government to undertake a formal public inquiry into Broken Hill City Council. Simmons' wife, Kaye, has also held positions in the New South Wales division of the Labor Party. In 2006, it was reported that she was on the ALP administrative committee and served as campaign manager for Jodi McKay, Labor candidate and subsequent Member for Newcastle.
