Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne has made light of two speeding tickets he received for going 5km/h over the limit.
Mr Dunne outed himself ahead of the release of an Official Information Act request this morning which showed he was caught going 55km/h in a 50km/h zone twice in one day in March 2013.
The United Future leader was stung twice to and from a constituent meeting in his Ohariu electorate in Wellington.
When asked about it today, he feigned shock saying it was a secret that had been weighing on him for some time.
"I'm just ashamed of the fact that you've exposed me as a serial traffic offender.
"It's gnawed at me for the last three years and I'm really glad it's in the public arena."
He didn't know if any other MPs or ministers would also be outed as speedsters.
"If others are such serial offenders as me, then we've got a real problem in credibility."
He paid the fines and said he hadn't received any more speeding tickets.
"I was so shocked by that event that I've taken to walking everywhere."
Asked if he should be treating the issue more seriously, Mr Dunne said most Kiwis would "treat this as the joke that it is".
"Only you guys [journalists] take this seriously."
Police and the New Zealand Transport Agency have been asked for comment.
But road safety charity Brake says Mr Dunne's comments were "disappointing and shocking".
Newshub.
