The Union representing Cook Strait ferry workers has expressed amazement at the Government’s announcement today on the Cook Strait ferries.

Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says the Government has just kicked the can down the road on hard decisions once again.

“The only real announcement today was Nicola Willis announcing she will soon be sacked from the Finance portfolio. 

The appointment of Winston Peters as Minister for Rail and the setting up of a Schedule 4 entity to procure ferries were widely expected, he says.

He says no costs were provided by the Finance Minister and the Government was using commercial confidentiality as a fig leaf to conceal how its decisions had led New Zealand into a very expensive dead end.

Mr Findlay says the Finance Minister’s claims that her ferry deal would be cheaper than the iRex project had no credibility.

“How can she make such bold assurances when she hasn’t got a deal or even a confirmed plan?” 

He says the only clear information available was that the ferries would be smaller and less capable, with no information about port side infrastructure.

The suggestion of private operators being involved created more confusion, he says.

“What New Zealand wanted today was certainty and a path forward, and what we got was an admission of failure from the Minister of Finance.” 

Mr Findlay says the appointment of Winston Peters as Minister of Rail was an interesting situation, as Mr Peters understood the New Zealand rail network requires rail enabled ferries, unlike the Minister of Finance.

He says there is still an opportunity for New Zealanders to insist the Government procure fit for purpose rail enabled ferries.

“In the meantime, the future of this essential infrastructure hangs in the balance.”