New Zealand's oldest Land Rover took a detour up Parliament steps today, as it continues its journey from Dunedin to Auckland.
ACT Party leader David Seymour earned a rebuke from security, as he began to drive the Land Rover up the steps, a re-enactment of 1948 - when the same Land Rover drove up the steps.
The Land Rover was at Parliament as part of a fund-raising drive for the University of Auckland's Manaaki Manawa, the Centre for Heart Research, to fund new heart valve devices for children.
It left Dunedin the Friday before last, having been bought by the centre's director, Professor Julian Paton. He had decided to use the relocation journey as a fundraiser.
However, security had to intervene after Mr Seymour found himself behind the wheel this afternoon.
Mr Seymour said he was not aware the speaker had not given permission, and later defended his actions.
"Do you really believe that there's any danger in somebody driving a Range Rover or a Land Rover a couple of metres up a step? I don't think so."
"The only danger that was created was actually from the security guard who put himself in danger, and I had to stop when he put himself in the way of the wheels," he said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was a matter for Seymour and the Speaker.
"I'm just not interested in those political sideshows. I want to get things done. I'm very, very focused on making sure we drive economic growth in this country."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Seymour should have known better, given driving up the steps of Parliament had already been determined to be something MPs were not allowed to do.
"David Seymour has far more important things to be focusing his attention on at the moment than ram-raiding the steps of Parliament," Hipkins said.
A spokesperson for the speaker said he would be making a statement on the matter "in due course".
- ODT Online/RNZ
