34796 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport

34796 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport: Has the Ministry of Transport identified an alternative mechanism or dataset to provide the insights that the National Freight Demand Study would have delivered, and if so, what is it?

Hon Chris Bishop: I am advised by the Ministry of Transport that decisions regarding the Ministry of Transport’s data needs and priorities are made by the Ministry. I have not had any direct involvement in, nor received advice on, the National Freight Demand Study. Officials have advised me that the study has not been cancelled, but that a decision to commission an updated version has not been made. This is consistent with previous iterations, which have not followed a formal commissioning schedule. In providing advice to Ministers, officials draw on a range of analytical tools, including the Ministry’s transport projection modelling capability, regular and bespoke freight data collection, and insights gathered through ongoing engagement with government agencies and industry stakeholders. The most recent National Freight Demand Study, published in 2019, continues to be referenced where appropriate. I understand the Ministry recently sought advice on how to maximise the value of any future iteration of the study, noting the limitations of previous versions, the opportunities presented by improved data and analytical tools, and the growing availability of private-sector freight data tools – recognising the appropriate role of government in a commercially operated sector. While a new study is not currently being progressed, the Ministry continues to pursue improvements in freight data through other means. This includes the recent appointment of a Director for Transport Data Improvement and ongoing engagement with government agencies and industry stakeholders about data.