19786 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Rail

Written Question

Published date: 03 Jun 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	19786 (2026)
Question asked:	19 May 2026
Member asking:	Francisco Hernandez
Portfolio:	Minister for Rail
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	27 May 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_19786_2026
Document guid:	b4db08cb-4829-483d-8028-934109186027

19786 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Rail: What advice, if any, has the Minister received regarding any proposed merger of their department, agency, crown entity or any other body that they are responsible for, if any, listed by title and date?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: The entities for which the Minister for Rail is a shareholder are operationally independent. Ferry Holdings is a delivery entity for Cabinet's no-nonsense ferry replacement programme and is established under section 4 of the Public Finance Act. KiwiRail, by contrast, is a State Owned Enterprise and commercially sensitive merger proposals can be relieved from time to time directly by that company, through the National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Company, or the Treasury. Merger proposals are by their nature commercially sensitive, and in any case no merger has occurred within the Rail portfolio during this term of parliament.