11431 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport

Written Question

Published date: 10 Apr 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	11431 (2026)
Question asked:	25 Mar 2026
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister of Transport
Minister replying:	Hon Chris Bishop
Answer received:	06 Apr 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_11431_2026
Document guid:	d17637ee-b3e6-4a96-85dc-219d7924279b

11431 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport: Further to Reply 8830 (2026), when NZTA described the fraud to media in November 2025 as having been discovered through a July 2025 audit, was that description reviewed and approved by senior leadership before publication; and does the Minister consider that description to have been accurate and complete?

Hon Chris Bishop: NZTA advises me that the description was reviewed and approved by senior leadership prior to publication. I acknowledge that the wording in my response to Written Parliamentary Question 8830 (2026) may have caused confusion. NZTA advises that the review undertaken in February 2025 identified previously unknown potential issues. This particular issue was subsequently confirmed as fraud following the risk assessment that was completed in July 2025.