First term, 2017–2020
Brown stood in the electorate of Pakuranga during the 2017 general election. The seat is a National Party safe seat - at the time Brown's predecessor Maurice Williamson had held it since 1987. Brown was selected as the National Party's candidate to replace Williamson after he decided not to seek re-election. [15] Brown was elected with a majority of 14,886 votes. [16]
In February 2018, a private member's bill introduced by Brown was drawn from the ballot. The Bill would ensure that anyone who supplies drugs prohibited by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 receives a penalty consistent with the penalty prescribed for supplying a Class C Drug. [17] The Bill was strongly supported by family members of synthetic cannabis victim Calum Jones [18] but voted down by Parliament. [19]
Brown voted against the Abortion Legislation Act 2020, which effectively sought to remove abortion from the Crimes Act 1961. [20] Stuff political reporter Henry Cooke described the MP as "one of the most socially conservative MPs in [the National Party]". [21] He voted against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022 prohibiting conversion therapy on grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. [22]
Second term, 2020–2023
During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Brown was re-elected in Pakuranga by a large margin of 10,050 votes, [23] making Pakuranga the safest seat for National in terms of the candidate vote.
In the November 2020 caucus reshuffle, led by National's leader Judith Collins, Brown was admitted to the Shadow Cabinet, ranking 20 on the National Party's list, and is now holding four shadow portfolios in Police, Serious Fraud Office, Youth and Corrections. [24]
In early May 2021, Brown received several death threats following his criticism of Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson visiting a hui held by the Waikato Mongrel Mob. He had claimed that her visit was an insult to victims of gang-related crime. [25] In late May, Brown also received several threatening messages from Mongrel Mob members after he criticised a funeral procession in a tweet for allegedly taking over a road in Hawke's Bay. These comments were passed onto the Police. [26] Louise Hutchinson, the Public Liaison for the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom, accused Brown of cultural insensitivity and of using gangs as a "politicking tool." Hutchinson also said that the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom had repeatedly invited Brown and the National Party to meet with them but that these invitations had been declined. [27]
In February 2022, Brown was one of only eight MPs to vote against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022. [28]
In June 2022, Brown was caught in a controversy where he liked a Facebook post by fellow MP Simon O'Connor which expressed it was a "good day" following Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization's overturn of US Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which curtailed abortion rights in the US. Brown later apologised for liking O'Connor's post. [29] [30]
On 19 January 2023, Brown was allocated the new Auckland issues portfolio in Party leader Christopher Luxon's shadow cabinet. [31]
On 27 May 2023, Brown stated during a Bay of Plenty meeting about transport infrastructure that introducing bilingual road signs in English and Māori would create confusion and that "they should all be in English." He made these remarks when he was asked his opinion on Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency's) proposal to introduce bilingual road signs. [32] Brown's remarks drew criticism from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who suggested that the National Party was dog whistling on Waka Kotahi's bilingual road sign programme. In response to criticism, fellow National MP Chris Bishop stated that National had no problems with bilingualism but opined that the agency should focus on repairing potholes and upgrading roads rather than bilingual road signs. [33] [34] Several Māori National MPs including Tama Potaka, Harete Hipango, and Shane Reti expressed disagreement with Brown, stating that they had no objections to bilingual road signs. [35]
Third term, 2023–present
During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Brown retained Pakuranga by a margin of 18,710 votes, defeating Labour's Nerissa Henry. [36] Following the formation of the National-led coalition government in late November 2023, he was appointed as Minister of Energy, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Transport, Minister for Auckland, and Deputy leader of the House. [37]
On 19 January 2025, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced Brown would be appointed as the next Minister of Health, taking over from Shane Reti. [38] As part of the cabinet reshuffle, Brown relinquished his energy, local government and transport portfolios, which were picked up by Simon Watts and Chris Bishop respectively. In addition, Brown became the Minister for State Owned Enterprises. [39]
Energy
On 30 April 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would invest in 25 new high speed electric vehicle charging facilities along key routes between major urban centres. [40]
Transport
On 4 December 2023 Brown, in his capacity as Transport Minister, ordered that the transport agency Waka Kotahi give primacy to its English name "New Zealand Transport Agency." [41] [42] On 12 December Brown also confirmed that the Government would be keeping its election promise to abolish blanket speed limits on roads and highways. He also announced that he would write to inform Road Controlling Authorities about the changes and new rule. [43] On 21 March, Brown confirmed that Cabinet was developing new rules to replace the so-called "Nanny state" speed limit reductions of the previous Labour Government. [44]
On 16 December Brown, in his capacity as Transport Minister, instructed the New Zealand Transport Agency to halt the Transport Choices Programme which involved funding and working with various local council projects to promote cycling, walking and public transportation. [45] In early November 2023, the Transport Agency had unilaterally halted funding for the Transport Choices Programme amidst coalition talks to form the next National-led government. [46] Notable projects affected by the Government's transportation policy change included the "Let's Get Wellington Moving" programme. [47] On 14 January 2024, Brown confirmed the cancellation of Auckland light rail, stating that the cost of the project was unsustainable for taxpayers. [48]
On 19 March 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would reduce the proposed road user charge on hybrid vehicles from NZ$53 per 1,000km to NZ$38. Earlier, the Parliamentary transport select committee had adopted a Labour and Green proposal to reduce the road user charge for hybrid vehicles to NZ$38 against the wishes of committee chair and NZ First MP Andy Foster. [49] Earlier in January 2024, Brown had announced that the Government would implement road user charges on both electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids from 1 April 2024. [50]
On 9 July 2024, Brown announced that the Government would ease Clean Car Standard Rules to comply with Australian fuel efficiency standards. In response clean car lobby group "Drive Electric" said that weakening fuel efficiency standards would lead to high petrol and diesel prices. [51] On 12 July, Brown announced that the Government would be introducing measures to reduce "excessive" road cone usage and to ease temporary traffic management costs. [52]
On 2 September 2024, Brown launched the Government's National Land Transport Programme, which invested NZ$32.9 billion in building 17 "Roads of National Significance" over the next three years. Brown also confirmed that the Government would invest NZ$6.4 billion from this sum into several public infrastructure projects including the City Rail Link, Eastern Busway, Northwest Rapid Transit Corridor, Auckland Airport to Botany Busway, and the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility. [53] On 19 September, Brown announced that the Government would roll out new data collection vans to assess the condition of New Zealand roads and prevent potholes. [54]
On 5 October, Brown announced the Government's NZ$226 million roads resilience package to reduce the impact of severe weather events on roads and highways. [55]
Local Government
On 14 December 2023 Brown, in his capacity as Local Government Minister, confirmed that the Government would introduce legislation in early 2024 to repeal the outgoing Labour Government's Water Services Reform Programme and introduce its own water reform programme. [56] [57] According to media organisation Newsroom, the Government planned to create a new type of financial separate council-owned organisations to finance water and wastewater infrastructure. Instead of the ten proposed water service entities, local councils would be responsible for complying with water regulation rules and water infrastructural investment. [58]
On 26 January 2024, Brown confirmed that the Government would halt plans to progress legislation introduced by the previous Labour Government to lower the voting age to 16 years for local government elections. [59] [60]
On 14 February Brown, as Local Government Minister, introduced legislation repealing the previous Labour Government's Three Waters reform programme under urgency. [61] Brown also announced that the Government would introduce two new laws in 2024 and 2025 rolling its own "Local Water Done Well" programme, which would emphasise local control over water infrastructure and services. [62]
On 4 April 2024, Brown announced that local and regional councils which introduced Māori wards without polling residents would have to hold referendums during the 2025 local elections or dissolve the wards they had established prior to the 2025 local elections. Brown also announced that the government would introduce legislation restoring the requirement for local councils to hold referenda on Māori wards by the end of July 2024. [63] This bill passed on 30 July 2024. [64] [65]
On 5 May 2024 Brown and Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown jointly announced that Auckland would avoid a 25.8 percent rates increase as part of the Government's Local Water Done Well plan. [66]
On 8 August 2024, Brown announced that council-controlled organisations would be able to borrow money for water infrastructure from the Local Government Funding Agency. Under the Government's first Local Water Done Well legislation, local councils have a year to develop plans for funding water services they need and ensuring their financial sustainability. [67] This legislation passed into law on 28 August 2024. [68]
Health
Following his appointment as Minister of Health on 19 January 2025, Brown reiterated that abortion rights and access to abortion services would not change under his watch, stating "every politician has views but what I'm saying is my personal views have been on the public record but we're not changing the legislation." Brown has expressed pro-life views and once liked a social media post by fellow National MP Simon O'Connor welcoming the Supreme Court of the United States's 2022 ruling overturning Roe v Wade. [69] The Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand wrote a letter to Prime Minister Luxon expressing concern about Brown's appointment due to his anti-abortion views and activism, saying "Given Mr Brown's persistent opposition to New Zealanders' bodily autonomy in the face of massive public support for abortion – 78% of New Zealanders support the right to an abortion – his appointment leaves us concerned and perplexed about the state of affairs." [70]
On 31 January 2025, Brown confirmed that the new Dunedin Hospital would be built on the site of the former Cadbury factory at a cost of NZ$1.9 billion. He ruled out earlier plans to refurbish the current hospital site. Brown also confirmed that the new hospital would have 351 beds, 20 short-stay surgical beds, 24 theatres, 58 emergency department spaces and 20 imaging units for CT, MRI and X-ray procedures. [71] [72] Brown's announcement was greeted by 35,000 protesters opposed to the cutbacks to the new hospital design. [71]
On 11 February 2025, Brown confirmed that the Government's flouridation policy would not change despite coalition partner New Zealand First introducing a member's bill to repeal the Health (Flouridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 which empowered the Director General of Health to mandate local councils to flouridate their drinking water supplies, restoring the right to local communities and councils. The Whangārei District Council and Rotorua Lakes Councillor Conan O'Brien had challenged directives by the Director-General to flouridate their water supplies, with the latter requesting an inquiry into the safety of water flouridation. [73] [74] Brown reiterated the Government's posifion that water flouridation was a "safe, effective, and affordable measure for improving oral health." [74]
