Entrepreneur on the Year

Stuff reports:

A battle to help a young entrepreneur banned from driving his ride-on lawnmower to jobs has gone to Parliament.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean has offered support to 14-year-old Johnny O’Neill after reading of his plight on Stuff.

Johnny, who started his own garden maintenance business in 2017, was warned by police not to ride his 780cc mower, which travelled about 5kmh, to jobs in Cromwell in Central Otago after a member of the public complained. The ban forced him to hire a driver, in addition to the two staff he already employs to help service his 293 clients.

293 clients at 14 years of age. Top man.

And the Police should tell the busy body who complained to naff off. I have a ride on mower. They can’t go more than a few km/hr and it is absolutely safe for a 14 year old to rive one – safer than a scooter in fact.

There was a provision in the Land Transport Act for low-powered vehicles, like mobility scooters, to be used without registration or a driver’s licence, but their maximum power output must not exceed 300W, she said.

“The issue here seems to be the size of Johnny’s mower engine, despite him not driving his mower faster than 5-10kmh.”

Dean has requested a change to the definition to include mowers with a speed of less than 10kmh.

Sounds like a good change.