64030 (2024). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Finance

64030 (2024). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Finance: Did the Minister consider any options for phased implementation or scaled-back versions of Project iReX that might have reduced immediate costs while still addressing the need for new Cook Strait ferries before declining KiwiRail's request for further funding in December 2023?

Hon Nicola Willis: Ministers considered options before declining KiwiRail’s request for further funding in December 2023. KiwiRail was asked to assess the feasibility of a descoped option where only an additional $750m of Crown funding would be provided. However KiwiRail’s board determined that no further design savings could be found and that a descoped option for Project iReX was not operationally feasible. Information on advice the Government received before declining KiwiRail’s request for additional funding can be found here Official Information Regarding KiwiRail’s Project iReX - Phase 1 | The Treasury New Zealand.