33690 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail

Written Question

Published date: 12 Aug 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	33690 (2026)
Question asked:	27 Jul 2026
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister for Rail
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	06 Aug 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_33690_2026
Document guid:	a17aae17-bf02-4b87-b5dd-2da5ce53d751

33690 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail: Does he stand by his statement that the previous Cook Strait ferry project was hijacked by expensive consultants, and how is this consistent with Ferry Holdings Limited's forecast consulting and professional fees of $7.156 million and assurance fees of $1.417 million for the year ending 30 June 2027?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: Yes. $8.5 million is 0.2125% of $4 billion, which is the number Treasury warned the previous Government iReX was on course to hit.