Transport Minister fined for speeding in his own social media posts
Queensland's Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg has been fined after posting videos of himself breaking speed limits while driving through regional areas.
Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg has been fined by police after he uploaded videos of himself speeding to social media.
The Liberal National Party minister was referred to Queensland police for investigation in August by a Labor opposition member after he posted two separate videos recorded by the Crisafulli government media team to social media that showed the speedometer exceeding the road limit.
In a short statement to The Australian, Mr Mickelberg confirmed he had been fined, saying: “Yes, I made a mistake and I’ve copped it.”
He said he received a low-range speeding fine for driving up to 10km/h over the limit, which incurred a $322 fine and the loss of one demerit point.
The infringement was issued for a video of Mr Mickelberg slowly driving through a herd of cattle to cross a bridge between Biggenden and Maryborough, on the state’s Fraser Coast, which is clearly signposted with a “40km/h” sign.
The video shows the LNP MP quickly accelerating once across the bridge, hitting a top speed of 53km/h before the recording cuts off.
In a second video, Mr Mickelberg can be seen driving with Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington in the passenger seat as he was sightseeing through her regional electorate of Nanango.
As they talked about road upgrades while driving along the 100km/h New England Highway, the speedometer consistently showed the speed above the limit, reaching 107km/h.
Mr Mickelberg was an army officer before he was elected to the Queensland parliament to represent the Sunshine Coast seat of Buderim in 2017. He served on the opposition frontbench during the last term of the Palaszczuk/Miles Labor government as the spokesman for several portfolios, including open data, employment and training, and small and family business.
Mr Mickelberg took on the transport portfolio following the Crisafulli government’s 2024 election win.
Around the halls of parliament, his own colleagues have joked about the minister’s “lead foot”.
However, he is not the first Queensland minister to be caught speeding.
Former Labor finance minister and one-time transport minister Rachel Nolan was fined six times throughout her 12-year political career. At the time of the final infringement in 2012 for a school zone offence, then-Labor premier Anna Bligh said “speeding is never acceptable” and noted that ministers were not above the law.
Former LNP police minister David Gibson lost his licence in 2012 after admitting to driving on a suspended licence, which he initially lost the previous year after failing to pay a speeding fine. Mr Gibson resigned from the Newman cabinet after just 13 days in the job, and retired at the end of the term.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout