Podcasts about interislander

Reducing the Interislander fleet by one could have wide-ranging implications, including on people's pockets. Aratere will retire late this year or early next when demolition begins on its aged dock to add infrastructure for new ships. Two new ferries aren't due until 2029. Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih told Kerre Woodham it could affect ferry fares – with the addition of supply chain costs. He's asking road freight supply customers to work with them as they navigate the changes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has set a deadline for the new Interisland ferries. Two new ferries are due to arrive in 2029, and the wharf currently home to the Aratere ferry is set to be demolished within a year to make room for infrastructure that can support the new ships. Ferry Holdings Ltd has initiated discussions with KiwiRail and the Port of Marlborough to understand the infrastructure required to meet the deadline. Chair Chris Mackenzie joined Kerre Woodham to delve into what is being planned for the ports. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you think it's expensive to travel around the country now, it's about to get more expensive with KiwiRail ditching one of its ferries. But even though flying isn't cheap, KiwiRail can forget about me making any interisland ferry bookings. Because why would ya? Two dungers —either of which can be out of service on any given day— no thanks. This all goes back to the decision by the Government not long after it came to power to pull the plug on the mega ferry project that Labour seemed to have an open cheque book for. Originally, the cost of getting the new mega ferries and bringing the portside infrastructure up-to-scratch was going to be around $1.5 billion. But that blew out to $3 billion and Finance Minister Nicola Willis said “no” when KiwiRail came knocking asking for more money. She said at the time that Cabinet wasn't confident that there wouldn't be further cost blow-outs. A bit further down the track, she washed her hands of the whole thing and handed-it over to Winston Peters who became the Minister for Rail with his number one job being to find cheaper ferries and fast. And, as we now know, they're expected to be here in 2029. In fact, pretty much all we know. We don't know how much they're going to cost. We also don't know how much it has cost or is going to cost the Government to get out of the original ship building contract. But this isn't about the politics today. The conversation today is about KiwiRail running just two ferries on Cook Strait for the next four years, and what that's going to mean. What it's going to mean for passengers, and what it's going to mean for people shifting freight up and down the country. Let's start with passengers: there's no doubt it's going to get more expensive to cross the Strait. That's just how business works. The Aratere does two crossings a day and can carry up to 400 passengers. So there's 800 passengers a day that won't be crossing. To be fair to KiwiRail, they are saying that they think the most impact on passengers will happen during the peak season. But, either way, it's only going to lead to increased prices and decreased reliability. Then there's the freight issue. There's already no shortage of people saying how unreliable the Interislander has become for them getting their products to and from the North and South Islands. I see that road freight lobby group Transporting New Zealand is saying that the Aratere going out of service will create more risk for freight. Chief Executive Dom Kalasih is saying today that it will be "fascinating” to see what happens with freight with no rail-enabled ferries. But it's not the lack of rail that's going to be an issue, because guess how much freight in New Zealand is carried on trucks? Ninety percent. And a lot of them will be trucking operators that cross Cook Strait on the Interislander, competing for space paying higher prices. And businesses paying more will mean everybody paying more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiRail admits it may be helping out its competition by reducing its Interislander fleet to two. Aratere will be retired when demolition begins on its decaying dock in Picton late this year or early next, to add infrastructure for new ships. Two new ferries are due in 2029. KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy told Mike Hosking some passengers may opt now to travel with Bluebridge. He says capacity is spread between the companies when one faces an issue. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 1st of May, the Aratere ferry is being retired – the only rail-enabled ferry in KiwiRail's fleet. Financial literacy will now be taught at schools in Years 1-10. And Indy NXT driver Liam Sceats details just what young drivers have to go through to get the funding for a single season of driving at the top level. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interislander's Aratere is heading towards its final journey - as work is underway to get rid of the Cook Strait ferry's decaying dock. Infrastructure is needed for new ferries, arriving in 2029, and work to demolish Aratere berth will in the coming months. It'll spell an end to the ageing ferry's operation because it can't use other Interislander docks. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacks this announcement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interislander is reducing its Cook Strait ferry fleet from three to two. The Aratere will retire when demolition begins on its decaying dock - late this year or early the next - to add infrastructure for new ships. Two new ferries are due in 2029. KiwiRail's Adele Wilson says it would've cost about $120 million to have an interim dock. "The idea of the temporary wharf is one of those things that is not possible if we want to bring this project in on budget and on time and at a level that's affordable." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 30 April 2025, KiwiRail's announced the Aratere will be retired this year, leaving us with just two Interislander ferries for the next four years. Education Minister Erica Stanford explains why she's going to introduce financial literacy courses to schools. Heather explains why she's impressed with Nicola Willis' budget announcement - but thinks we need to cut whole ministries to free up more money. Plus, the Huddle debates Wellington City Council voting in favour of allowing 16-year olds to vote in local body elections. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rail Minister says any supply chain interruptions caused by the Interislander reducing its Cook Strait ferry fleet can be handled. Aratere will be retired when demolition begins on its decaying Picton dock late this year or early next, to add infrastructure for new ships. It's KiwiRail's only rail-enabled ferry. Winston Peters told Ryan Bridge it won't have an impact on the amount of freight KiwiRail is moving. He says it will be supplemented by added shipping around the coast and a re-formulated programme. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferry and cruise passengers could be facing a new levy. The Government is weighing up how to fund a permanent rescue tugboat for the Cook Strait, and a user pays system is on the table. They've contracted MMA Vision to provide emergency cover in the meantime, but a long-term solution is still up in the air. Maritime Union Spokesperson Victor Billot told Mike Hosking they're happy to see the temporary measures, but there does need to be a long-term plan. However, he says they're unsure a user pays model is the right fit, or that it would be easy to enforce. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interislander's operator is promising to cough up for ferry disruptions. A Commerce Commission investigation found KiwiRail may have breached the law by suggesting cancelled sailings were out of their control. Mechanical events leading to cancellations will now almost always trigger compensation. Chief customer officer Adele Wilson says people incurred some high costs from cancellations. "As we were trying to catch up the schedule, we had another event - and so people who'd been rebooked, unfortunately some of them were delayed again." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, the Reserve Bank's operating budget for the coming year has been slashed by about 25 per cent - we speak to Finance Minister Nicola Willis; the Commerce Commision has found KiwiRail misled customers about when they were eligible to receive compensation when their Interislander ferries broke down; an Oxfordshire man has set a new world record after Morris dancing for more than 11 hours straight and Kerry-Anne Walsh brings all the news from across the ditch.

The Commerce Commission has accepted legally binding commitments from KiwiRail to compensate customers impacted by ferry breakdowns in 2023. Interislander has also committed to updating its policies and terms and conditions to make sure they are in line with consumer law. Vanessa Horne from the Commerce Commission spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 17th of April, the Government has announced a $20b plan to upgrade our health infrastructure, so now we need some action. The Commerce Commission has pushed KiwiRail to compensate the victims of cancelled Interislander ferries. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson wrap the short week, and we deal with Kate's first boomer moment. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission says it'll take KiwiRail to court if it doesn't compensate ferry customers. The rail provider's agreed to pay those disrupted in three Interislander cancellations in early 2023. KiwiRail had previously treated delays and cancellations from mechanical faults as out of their control, which the Commerce Commission argued misled customers. The Commission's Vanessa Horne told Mike Hosking KiwiRail should've taken action on its own accord. She says good businesses get ahead of the game to ensure customers are cared for. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions to Ministers Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? JOSEPH MOONEY to the Minister for Economic Growth: What recent announcements has she made regarding supermarket competition? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "The Government is focusing on the things that make a difference to the quality of people's lives"; if so, do the changes coming in today reflect that? ANDY FOSTER to the Minister for Rail: Is the Cook Strait ferry replacement programme "on track"? RAWIRI WAITITI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Are her policies working; if not, why not? MIKE BUTTERICK to the Minister of Police: What recent reports has he seen on trust and confidence in the Police? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all her statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? TANGI UTIKERE to the Minister for Rail: When will New Zealanders know the cost of their new Interislander ferries and how the requisite port-side infrastructure will be funded? NANCY LU to the Minister for Building and Construction: What is the Government doing to lower building costs and make it easier to build?

On today's episode, the Minister for Rail Winston Peters has unveiled plans for the new Interislander ferries, RNZ has released a new poll which shows the government holding onto a slim lead, and we look back on 50 years of Morning Report.

There's a view that the ferry deal timeline is optimistic. Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced two road and rail-enabled ferries and upgrades to port infrastructure will be rolled out late in 2029. Former Chair of the Ferry Ministerial Advisory Group Mark Thompson told Mike Hosking that will be a challenge with current conditions. He says there's an influx of orders for ship builder, which could jeopardise the timeline. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister-in-charge has promised Interislander's ferries are safe until our new ones arrive. The Government's announced specifications for two ships - rail enabled and larger than the current pair - for roll out by Christmas 2029. Picton's port infrastructure will be replaced, but money will be saved by modifications and refurbishment in Wellington. Previous plans were canned in 2023, after cost blowouts. Minister for Rail Winston Peters says KiwiRail's given him an overview of the existing ships. "They are very confident that these present utilities are going to be capable of going well past 2029." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Winston Peters says the Government has signed off on the option of two new Interislander ferries that can carry cars, passengers and rail. It will all be much cheaper of course than the iRex project, but no actual contract has been signed yet. What do we think of this? There was a big fuss over the Greens' Benjamin Doyle and some posts he made on a private social media account. The posts included images of their child with bylines that appear to be sexualised references. Winston Peters is calling for an investigation - what do we make of this? President Donald Trump has indicated he's willing to run for a third term - should we take this seriously? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the future of the Cook Strait ferries becomes clearer, some are lamenting how long it's taken. Two new road and rail-enabled ferries and port-side infrastructure will be ready by late 2029. Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Todd Valster says while the cost isn't public yet, he's happy they will be rail-enabled. He told Andrew Dickens the delays haven't given people confidence. Valster says the previous Government's plan took ages to put together and there's been more delays as this Government's plan has emerged. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPINION After Sunday's very underwhelming announcement on supermarkets from Finance Minister Nicola Willis, I was a bit worried that yesterday's announcement on the future of the interisland ferries would be much the same. Lately the coalition government has made a bit of a habit of making announcements that mean very little. And to some extent, that's exactly what we got from Rail Minister Winston Peters yesterday. Now first; a bit of background. Finance Minister Nicola Willis cancelled the brand new interisland mega ferries shortly after the election, pointing to the extreme cost blowout. She spent a year working on replacements and late last year we were told she was about to announce her bold new plan. It turned out Winston Peters was made Minister of Rail and given until the end of March to devise a plan. Yesterday was the end of March and up steps Winston Peters. And he seems to have done a good job. Yes, the new ferries will be rail-enabled which KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said was great news for the public. I think most of us would agree that rail-enabled fairies is the right way to go. The two new ferries are also going to be 200 metres long - a bit longer and wider than the current fleet but smaller than the mega fairies that Nicola Willis cancelled. And all of this sounds great. But there's one big glaring problem. We haven't actually ordered these ferries. This was Winston Peters confirming what the government wants to buy. It was an announcement of a shopping list, not a contract. It's an announcement of an announcement. My biggest problem here is that our existing fleet of three ferries, which have broken down, run aground and lost propellers, have to last us until 2029. That's four years away at best. And according to the former chair of the Ferry ministerial advisory group Mark Thompson, that might not be possible. He says that is an ambitious timeframe. We still don't even know exactly what the ships are going to look like and who's going to build them. We also don't know how much these replacements are going to cost. And keep in mind we have to pay the contract break fee for the mega ferries. And there's one other concern I have. What happens if next year there's a change of government and a new government changes the plans again? Ultimately we need to rely on these ferries lasting until 2029. Yes, we've had a good summer with no breakdowns. But history tells us there's a lot of water between now and 2029 that these old ferries have to cross. And these old girls are getting older not younger, and they are certainly not without their issues. For me this is still a case of wait and see. I can tell you it's definitely not the plan I expected to come out yesterday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister-in-charge has promised Interislander's ferries are safe until our new ones arrive. The Government's announced specifications for two ships - rail enabled and larger than the current pair - for roll out by Christmas 2029. Picton's port infrastructure will be replaced, but money will be saved by modifications and refurbishment in Wellington. Previous plans were canned in 2023, after cost blowouts. Minister for Rail Winston Peters says KiwiRail's given him an overview of the existing ships. "They are very confident that these present utilities are going to be capable of going well past 2029." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister for Rail Winston Peters is expected to finally reveal his long-awaited plan for Interisland ferry replacements today - but will we see the full details of the new ferries? Also, Finance Minister Nicola Willis is seeking advice on whether the supermarket duopoly needs to be broken up. Is it likely we'll see decisions on the grocery sector soon? To answer those questions, Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for Rail has confirmed a much-anticipated announcement on Interislander ferries is days away. The Government pulled out of contracts for two new ships in late 2023, citing cost blowouts, and are yet to announce the alternative. In December, it was promised Winston Peters would announce a solution by the end of March - which is Monday. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls speculates as to whether or not there'll be an update tomorrow - and what we can expect. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A scathing report into the management of Wellington Water has found the organisation is paying up to three times as much for unplanned pipe maintenance as comparable councils in NZ - so how did this happen, and how will the region's councils respond? Also, the government has released a tranche of documents into the work to replace the Interislander ferries. What do the documents reveal? NZ Herald Wellington issues reporter Georgina Campbell joined Nick Mills for the Capital Letter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New documents reveal the coalition has set aside 300 million dollars to cover broken infrastructure contracts and a break-fee with Hyundai, after the government ended a contract with the Korean company to build two new Interislander ferries. The contract, known as iRex, was cancelled with Hyundai shortly after the Coalition came to power. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Leiataualesa Susana Lei'ataua.

You could hear the disappointment oozing out of the Maritime Union Spokesperson yesterday as we found out the break fee for the Interislander ferries would be around 300 million. The ferries only cost 551 million at 60 per cent of the cost of the ferries. All up 1 billion dollars has been spent on nothing at all. It's making Labour's light rail fiasco look trivial. The Union guy called the situation Nicola Willis' mistake. And it is. She'd be hoping to be remembered as the Saviour of the economy, but she will never escape the billion-dollar boat botch up. A botch up she jumped into just to strike a blow against Labour and KiwiRail As Winston Peters rushes to patch things up we seem to forget what the real cost of the project is. It's the wharves and more particularly the Wellington wharves They need to be renovated. They need to be earthquake strengthened. We need to decide if they need rail infrastructure so we can roll a train on a ship. We need to decide the capacity of the terminals. These are questions that never make the public discussion. As we wait for Winston's grand answer to a 3-billion-dollar question, I hope that he'll cover those issues as much as the floating stock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are fresh developments in the Government's Cook Strait ferry headache. Hyundai is back in the running to land a deal after the coalition canned its original contract in 2023, blaming ballooning costs. Documents show the Government's set aside $300 million to cover that broken deal, which must be paid regardless of whether a new deal is struck. Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Todd Valster told Andrew Dickens the Government rushed to cancel the original deal. He reckons the amount of money lost is far higher, saying the $300 million doesn't recognise costs of procurement – with estimations up to a billion dollars could have been spent. Although, he says, it's good to see Rail Minister Winston Peters has made a trip to Korea to speak with the ship builders. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transporting New Zealand is looking at a world of change in road transport, including congestion charging, the need to transition to greener models than diesel, and the provision of new Interislander ferries.

The government is investing $30 million dollars' worth of tourism levies into conservation tourism. Conversation Minister Tama Potaka announced the funding at the Prime Minister's weekly post-Cabinet media briefing. Mr Potaka was still sharing details about the funding when an email update on the Interislander ferries dropped into journalists' inboxes. Political reporter Anneke Smith spoke to Lisa Owen.

It was Chris versus Chris in the House this afternoon, as Hipkins went toe-to-toe with Luxon in the House today The Prime Minister drew first blood in his response to accusations from Labour that he's unable to control his Cabinet. Chris Hipkins was quick to fire back - and asked if Nicola Willis was more likely to replace the Interislander ferries or Luxon as Prime Minister by the end of the year. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says it was a memorable session in Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's open to corporate tax cuts in this year's budget. Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB last night that our corporate tax system isn't competitive enough with other countries. She confirmed the corporate tax rate, currently sitting at 28 percent, is being looked at as part of the whole business tax system. Christopher Luxon confirmed with Mike Hosking they're willing to make changes, and there's a lot of possible options. He says any announcement would be part of the May budget. Luxon says lower tax rates are one way to encourage growth, as well as incentivising investment in things like technology. Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown is urging the Government to ease the visa restrictions for Chinese tourists. China has a policy that allows New Zealanders visa-free access if they're visiting for less than 30 days – a policy Brown says we should be reciprocating. Luxon says there are some challenges involved in powering up the number of Chinese tourists coming into the country. He told Hosking that there are genuine immigration concerns to consider, and they need to ensure there's a good policy in place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More details could be coming this week about the procuring company for the Interislander ferries. In December last year, the Government announced it would set up a company to procure the ferries, freeing up Kiwirail. It's committed to a March deadline. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she believes Minister-in-Charge Winston Peters has a handle on the process - and will be incorporating once the directors are appointed. She says her alternative procurement plan is ready to go as a fallback. "The Minister for Rail is doing the right thing, he is comparing that option with what else might be out there and he's running the process to do that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Interislander sailings were cancelled yesterday and another two were delayed - leaving hundreds of passengers stranded for hours. Four Bluebridge ferries were also cancelled. Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira Kiwirail's fleet operations manager Taru Sawhney who said better than antecipated weather means both boats are now back in action.

The Prime Minister's defending the Government effectively delaying a Cook Strait ferry decision. Christopher Luxon appears to have let slip the Government's signed off two rail-compatible ferries, unless a better proposal is on the table within the next few months. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan the ferries need to be replaced in 2029, meaning the procurement decision doesn't need to be made by the end of March. Luxon says they have a proposal for two rail-compatible ferries as a default. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's political editor Jo Moir sits down with new Minister for Rail Winston Peters to discuss the future of the Interislander ferries, and what next year will bring for the New Zealand First leader. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Government has failed to deliver a ferry-tale ending for the Interislander today - with major questions persisting around the ship's replacement. A year on from pulling the pin on Labour's project, the coalition has announced it will establish a company to procure two new vessels - to be delivered by 2029. Decisions are to be made in March - but there's no word on how much the deal might cost - or whether the ferries will have rail rolling on and off. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

The much anticipated big reveal failed to reveal cost details, whether ferries would be rail enabled, or any specifics about the ships and where they are coming from. Instead the government announced it's setting up a new crown owned company to buy two ferries, with an operating start date of 2029. But it does say the whole project will cost much less than the last government's plan, including break fees for canning the ships. Chief Executive Officer of Booth Logistics Dallas Vince spoke to Lisa Owen.

A key logistics company says progress on getting new Interislander ferries is frustratingly slow. Mainfreight managing director Don Braid spoke to Corin Dann.

The government has announced its plan to replace the Interisland ferries, but there are still many questions to be answered. Minister for Rail Winston Peters spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The government has announced its plan to replace the Interislander ferries, but detail is lacking. Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Government has unveiled its plan for replacing the Interislander ferries, having scrapped Labour's iRex project a year ago. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Corin Dann.

There's little faith from some in the freight industry that new Cook Strait ferries will be delivered on time. The Government's announced its intention to buy two new ferries for the Cook Strait crossing but is being criticised for refusing to reveal the cost. The first stage of the procurement process is set to finish in March, with the vessels sailing by 2029. But Mainfreight Managing Director Don Braid told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's not sold, and expected more information. He expects the March deadline to come and go, and says delays seem typical of this government. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly appointed Minister for Rail Winston Peters has said very little about the Government's ferry plans, mostly sparring with Newstalk ZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan over her questions. “We inherited, coming back into government in 2023, an unholy mess where the costs were blowing out to $3.2 billion," Peters told her. “And then you had all the other uncertainties as well. That was not the project they were charged with doing when I was last Minister of Railways. “So this was a circumstance which took some time to unravel. But here we are set to go now, and very shortly we'll announce what the long-term future will be. “But what we want is efficient, effective transport systems in this country. And the ferry operations in the Cook Strait are critical to that,” he said. Peters said he was not trying to “better” any deal put up by Finance Minister Nicola Willis, as questioned by du Plessis-Allan. “No, no … for the third time, no,” Peters said. “Probably some claimed insiders have been telling you that, but it's not true. “The wider it gets reported, it just carries on. We've got to do better.” Peters said rushing out the Government's plans would “set the bottom price from where the shipbuilders will start increasing their profits - and we're not going to start making those silly mistakes”. “I just told you that three times and now I'm telling you a fourth time. “You'll have plenty of time under the Official Information Act in the future to find out whether what I'm saying is true. And when you do, can you please go on the programme and say, ‘I'm so sorry, I maligned Winston'.” The Government has announced their plans to procure replacements to replace the aging Interislander fleet. Photo / Mark Mitchell Peters said: “I admit it's taken too long. But we've been in the job less than one day, give us some time and we'll show you what we can do. “What you've got to do [as a Government] is find out from all sources what is the best option at the best price for the greatest level of efficiency with the greatest longevity.” Peters said the break fee was confidential “for a whole lot of reasons”. “Do you know anything about commercial practice? That's why it's confidential. Which law school did you go to? “This is embarrassing for the country, you're quite right. The darned boats were only 20% of the costs.” Peters sparred with du Plessis Allan several times. “You're telling me it's embarrassing? Of course, it is. I'm here to fix it and I'm going to fix it,” he told her. Peters said he had “no idea” about Act leader David Seymour's comments about the ferries. “Who said that was true?” Peters said in response to du Plessis Allan's questions. “You know, I've never seen so much rudeness. Somebody is trying to explain to you about a critical issue that costs so much to the taxpayer and you're interrupting. Here's the point: It'll cost way, way less than [iRex], and that, I'm certain.” He said the final decision would come “just as soon as we can responsibly make it”. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transport operators are waiting with bated breath for the Cook Strait ferry announcement expected today. It's understood the Government will finally share plans for the future of the Interislander service after cancelling the previous project. While Transporting New Zealand's Billy Clemens won't speculate on the Government's plans, he told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's hopeful it will ensure the longevity for the vital service. He says there must be a competitive market. There are also hopes rail is a key aspect of the looming announcement after the Government scrapped plans for rail-enabled mega-ferries a year ago. Rail compatible means carriages can be transferred on and off, rather than trains themselves. Clemens du Plessis-Allan that operators need a reliable way to transport rail. He says rail compatibility would still allow for flexibility but would cost less to build than the previous rail enabled ferries. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says the argument for stopping bootcamps is ridiculous. Police found two bootcamp teens who'd absconded when they responded to an alleged carjacking in Hamilton over the weekend. One evaded Oranga Tamariki staff at the tangi of another participant who'd died in a crash and fled. Christopher Luxon told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's a defeatist and negative mindset to throw the towel in now. He says they're trying to change the life of even one of the 10 teens, one where they don't go down a path of gang life, violence, jail time, and welfare dependency. Luxon's given his assurance new Cook Strait ferries will be cheaper than previous plans. The Government's expected to announce the future of Interislander's fleet this week, a year after cancelling the previous government's project, citing cost blowouts. Luxon told du Plessis-Allan that despite confirming it wouldn't be $3 billion, he can't give any detail on the looming announcement. He says like a number of initiatives under the last Government, the previous ferry project started at one billion but ballooned to $3.2 billion. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 10th of December, Heather du Plessis-Allan is running the show and is joined by an investment banker to see whether the Government's intentions for Kiwibank will make it competitive with the bigger banks. The Prime Minister talks Kiwibank, what the ferry announcement will, or won't, be and whether the polls show he's out of touch with National voters. Kiwi singer Cassie Henderson has just wrapped up her headlining tour and joins Heather to talk her new EP ahead of the festival season. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It hasn't been clear sailing for the Interislander, but any day the government will announce plans for the ferries' future…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the “more tax, more borrowing” of the last Labour Government hadn't worked. “The decision for New Zealand is really about getting this country growing,” he told Mike Hosking. One of the areas they've been focusing on in order to do so has been education. Luxon said he was unaware of schools not getting necessary maths resources, and disagrees with the teachers unions, who say the Government has rushed the new curriculum through. “We got a set of results that said four out of five of our kids going into high school are not where they need to be. I'm sorry, we can sit around having consultation and kumbaya all year, but we actually need to make an intervention. We did that within a week. “[Education Minister] Erica Stanford has done an exceptionally good job to make sure they've got the [resources] they need to teachers.” He touched on how “abysmal” NCEA is, saying that whether you're a parent or an employer or a teacher, it's not working. “And it's no surprise when kids show up for third form and four out of five aren't at the standard they need to be in maths,” Luxon said. When it comes to the economy, he says there's still “a lot of turbulence” to navigate before it gets better. He pointed to reductions in inflation as achievements. “I think every quarter you'll start to see growth improve. We're still not out of the woods. The last thing that gets sorted is employment, and there's a lag effect. “We did it pretty tough. We had monetary policy where we were printing a lot of cash.” Luxon confirmed there would be an announcement on the Cook Strait ferries by the end of the year. “We've made a commitment; we'll talk about the ferries by the end of the year. We're going to get a solution in place. “There's always ongoing conversations. You'll know [the details] when you know. “It'll be rail compatible, as it is today. I can tell you it'll be done a lot cheaper than $3.2 billion.” He said there was no stoush between himself and David Seymour over the Waikato medical school plans. “All respect, David's not the Minister of Health, he's the Minister for Regulation. He needs to focus on that,” he said. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.