Transport Minister Simeon Brown posts video to dispel ‘weird rumours’ that he can’t drive

Transport Minister Simeon Brown posts video of him driving to dispel “weird rumours being spread online by trolls" that he doesn’t have a driver’s licence. Photo / X

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has posted a video online of him driving to dispel “weird rumours being spread online by trolls” that he doesn’t have a driver’s licence.

Brown shared a short video today where he is seen driving along Pakuranga Rd in Auckland.

“There’s been some weird rumours being spread online by trolls saying I don’t have my driver’s licence?” the minister says in the video posted to X (formerly Twitter).

“Even some journalists have been picking up on these rumours and asking me some questions.

“I’m the Minister of Transport - of course I’ve got my full driver’s licence.”

One commenter on his post said, “Keep up the great work!! You’re rolling and their [sic] just trolling.”

Brown took the opportunity during the light-hearted video to emphasise the government’s speed limit policy.

The road he was driving on was Pakuranga Rd where he said: “We are going to reverse the speed limit back to 60km per hour under this government.”

The previous Labour-led Government and Auckland Transport had proposed lower speeds around 358 schools.

But the slowdown would have given hundreds of urban roads 30km/h speed limits and rural roads 60km/h limits.

Brown said blanket speed limit reductions on state highways suppressed economic growth.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Regulation Minister and Act leader David Seymour backed the speed limit change.

In a press release from the Beehive, Seymour said the new rule would require variable speed limits around schools during pick-up and drop-off times.

But it would also enable 110km/h speed limits on new and existing Roads of National Significance.

The speed limit overhaul was part of National and Act’s coalition agreement.