64034 (2024). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Finance

64034 (2024). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Finance: What specific alternative options, if any, did the Minister consider before denying KiwiRail's request for further funding for Project iReX?

Hon Nicola Willis: As noted in the December 2023 Cabinet paper that is publicly available, Ministers specifically considered the options of: • Proceeding with the project as proposed by KiwiRail, which would require a further $1.476 billion of Crown funding, • Providing no further funding at this time, and • Providing short term funding to the end of February 2024 in order to undertake further work. However this option was disregarded as it was unlikely materially improved information could be prepared in this time frame. Additionally, as stated in the answer to written question 64030, KiwiRail’s board determined that no further design savings could be found and that a descoped option for Project iReX was not operationally feasible.