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

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.

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.