Prime Minister David Seymour drove a 1948 Land Rover Series I at the Ellerslie Racecourse.
The event aimed to fund research for a new heart valve for children with rheumatic fever.
With the throttle set to hold the engine at the desired speed, Act leader David Seymour today repeated last year’s stunt by driving the same historic 1948 Land Rover up seven steps at the Ellerslie Car Show.
But unlike the antics he attempted almost a year ago – when hetried to drive the Land Rover up the front steps of Parliament – the now Deputy Prime Minister had permission this time from the Ellerslie Racecourse health and safety committee, as well as the car show’s president and vice‑president.
No shortcuts were taken. A wooden barrier fence was installed, the Land Rover was left in gear at the top of the steps, the handbrake was on, the wheels were chocked and insurance was in place.
Seymour said the stunt was a bit less fun with permission, but accepted it was probably a better way to do it.
“I actually thought I did a better job last time. It was quite smooth, although I didn’t get up as many steps due to a wee intervention from the security guards,” he said.
“Here we got up all the steps, but I was a bit embarrassed. It was like I was 16 again, bunny-hopping, and that’s never good.”
David Seymour starts to drive a Land Rover up the steps of Parliament last year. Photo / Act Party
Last year, Seymour was stopped by Parliament security while attempting to drive the Land Rover up the front steps of Parliament, a move dubbed a “political sideshow” by the Prime Minister and forbidden by the Speaker.
He wanted to recreate an iconic moment in 1948 when that exact Land Rover was driven up Parliament’s steps to show off its 4WD capabilities.
As with last year, today’s event aimed to raise awareness for Drive 4 Hearts, a charity supporting children with rheumatic heart disease.
This year's stunt had the approval of the Ellerslie Racecourse and the Ellerslie Car Show. Photo / Dean Purcell
Professor Julian Paton, the director at Auckland University’s Centre for Heart Research, drove his historic Land Rover from Dunedin to Auckland to raise $300,000. So far, he has raised $161,400.
Paton said rheumatic fever among children in New Zealand is a national embarrassment, as the leading country in the world for the heart disease.
“We have got a really bad problem that isn’t getting fixed,” he said.
“Our idea is to stop the need for repetitive operations. That’s a short-term fix.”
Paton said surgeons had told him it’s like signing off a child’s death warrant when they put in an artificial valve because they know they are going to only last for a certain period of time.
Current valves may get rejected or simply not grow as the heart grows, he said.
Professor Julian Paton (left) and David Seymour were pleased with the event, which aimed to raise money for a charity supporting children with rheumatic heart disease. Photo / Dean Purcell
Paton said the goal was to develop a valve that can go into the heart, not from pig cells but from the cells of that child, which means it will not be rejected.
“It will be a living tissue valve that will grow as the heart grows. A one-shot fix,” he said.
Seymour said Paton had combined two passions – Land Rovers and children with rheumatic fever.
