56368 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail

Written Question

Published date: 17 Dec 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	56368 (2025)
Question asked:	03 Dec 2025
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister for Rail
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	11 Dec 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_56368_2025
Document guid:	4d5d3463-be88-4972-9216-dce568c9b3c6

56368 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail: What decisions have been made regarding Crown ownership and operational responsibility for the new rail-enabled linkspans that will connect trains to the ferries?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: Assets paid for using the Government’s $1.7 billion contribution will be owned by the Government. This includes the ferries and most of the infrastructure works. Assets paid for by the ports and KiwiRail will be owned by those companies. The exact shares and assets will be made clear after commercial agreements have been entered in mid 2026. KiwiRail is the default operator of the Interislander business, however decisions on selecting the operator sit with Ministers and have not yet been taken.