56384 (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:	56384 (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_56384_2025
Document guid:	59b9f73b-a7c7-4e86-8c1b-1a4f7f98a2db

56384 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister for Rail: Has any advice been received indicating that the cost of building the new diesel-electric hybrid Interislander ferries could exceed the Crown’s $1.7b funding cap, and what steps have been taken in response?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: Ferry Holding’s Board provided advice to inform Ministers’ decisions. The Board’s advice assured Ministers that the programme could be delivered on time and on budget. Treasury noted the costs have been independently reviewed and were based on a quantified risk analysis. In addition, the ships are a fixed price contract. Shareholding Ministers took those decisions on the basis that we can deliver the programme without spending more than $1.7 billion.