Podcasts about interislander

Labour leader and Remutaka MP Chris Hipkins says he is sceptical of the idea the Interislander could be privatised. It comes after a cabinet paper obtained by the Herald floated the possibility of partially or fully privatising the ferry service. Hipkins joined Nick Mills for his monthly catch-up, where the pair also discussed the state of the economy, whether weight-loss 'wonder drugs' should be funded, and the government's recent law and order announcements. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More details about infrastructure in Wellington and Picton in Government plans for new Cook Strait ferries. CentrePort, Port Marlborough, and KiwiRail have agreed a plan to re-use and strengthen the Wellington wharf servicing Interislander's Aratere - and to re-use terminals both sides of the Strait. Minister for Rail Winston Peters says the Government won't consider privatisation - and he's just looking to make sure Kiwis stay informed. "We're not about to make the same mistake a second time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't like this idea David Seymour's pushing of privatising the Interislander ferry service and getting a private operator to run it, instead of KiwiRail. And if I was to sum up why I'm opposed to it as succinctly as I could, it would come down to just two words and one number. State Highway 1. Tell that to the ACT leader and Deputy Prime Minister, though. He's saying the Government doesn't need to own the ferries and that it would make sense for the Government to get its money out of the ferry business and use it to pay off debt or build things like roads. He reckons that history shows that governments are the worst at running businesses, and reckons private operators would do a much better job of owning and operating the ferries. But I think that would be too much of a gamble when you consider that Cook Strait isn't just a stretch of water, it's actually part of State Highway 1. And I wouldn't be happy having two private operators being responsible for getting us across that stretch of it. Because with private operators, they're only in it if there's a buck to be made. Which I don't have a problem with, but we already have one private operator running services on Cook Strait – would you really want to see that become two private operators? Two private operators who would have every right to pull the pin if they decided it wasn't worth their while continuing? Or what if one of them went under? Would you really be happy with one private operator having a monopoly on Cook Strait? Besides which, this talk of privatising the Interislander is just letting KiwiRail off the hook. You ask people in the street, and most will probably tell you that the Interislander service is pretty unreliable. That may or may not be 100 percent true, but I'm certainly not going to say KiwiRail is doing a brilliant job with the ferries. However, instead of talking about selling off the ferries and giving the job to someone else, the Government should be telling KiwiRail to pull its socks up instead. Because the service it provides between Picton and Wellington is an essential service that needs to stay in the Government's hands. I wouldn't even be up for partial privatisation like Air New Zealand, for example. Someone I was talking to was saying that they thought Air New Zealand was a great advertisement for partial privatisation. Saying that even though quite a few people have a beef with the airline in terms of its fares and where it does and doesn't fly to, you can't argue that the airline is a very well-run business. But that still isn't enough to convince me that it would be a good idea for the Government to wash its hands of the Interislander ferry service. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister believes the Government would be better off with the part-privatisation of Interislander ferries. A Treasury paper presented to Cabinet by the Minister for Rail, Winston Peters, says the Government can consider private investment to reduce costs. David Seymour agrees with the idea and says the Government has been far too relaxed with capital. He told Mike Hosking the Government is not a good operator of commercial enterprises, and there's no shortage of evidence for that. Seymour says you have to balance the books, and at the moment the Government owns too many underperforming assets. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't know who these people or these organisations would be and what on Earth their motivation might be, but it would appear that Treasury has identified several private operators who have expressed an interest in establishing a commercial competitor to Bluebridge with government help. Which basically means the opportunity to privatise the KiwiRail Cook Strait ferries. I don't know why you would do that, where in the world does any kind of public transport make money? I guess where there are profits to be made, Bluebridge has found them. But in a country this small, could two people, two organisations, two interested groups, make money out of the Cook Strait ferry crossing? Earlier this year, Winston Peters took a paper to cabinet, along with Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Transport Minister Chris Bishop, which confirmed a direction to Ferry Holdings —that's the publicly owned companies set up to procure two new Inter Island ferries— to consider options for ferry ownership and operation that will improve efficiency and recycle government capital. What does this mean? Translated into real world speak, that means the Government's looking at letting private operators into owning and running the ferries that the government currently owns and runs, in the hope that efficiency will be improved, and recycling government capital means using private investors money, not taxpayers' money. All very well and good to open it up for expressions of interest, but what I found really staggering is that there are people who are interested in doing just that. As you may have heard on the Mike Hosking Breakfast, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour is all for allowing private operators into running the ferries. “I have long had the philosophical view that government is not a good operator of commercial enterprises, and there's no shortage of evidence for that. But the reality will be much more persuasive to whoever's in government, you've got to balance the books, and at the moment we own too many underperforming assets. We are really struggling. As a result, the New Zealand people who fund the government as taxpayers are struggling, and there's going to have to be a reckoning. The alternative is people young and talented, keep looking further afield for opportunity and I don't want that.” No, none of us do. But is KiwiRail going to private operators going to be the Great Saviour? I wouldn't have thought so. It's been sold off before and it didn't work then. So he's all for private operators coming in and running state owned assets more efficiently. Equally unsurprising is Winston Peters being against any form of privatisation. He makes the point that NZ First has consistently held the view that taxpayer funded assets should be owned by the taxpayer. As somebody who uses the ferries once in a blue moon, I wouldn't have thought it difficult to have ships that are seaworthy, take people, and cars, and freight over the Cook Strait, and bring them back again. And you need people who can steer the ship, and you need people who can maintain the ships so that they don't break down in the middle of Cook Strait, because that's very bad. If there isn't enough money to be made commercially from doing this as an exercise, as taxpayers we have to fund it because it is State Highway 1. We need to keep it going. So why is it so hard to do that? Why is it so hard to have ships that are seaworthy, captains who can steer them, people who can maintain them? And either we know every year how much it's going to cost us to keep State Highway 1 open, which we have to do, or we allow private operators to run it and make small profit from it. Looking from the outside, I wouldn't have thought it was possible. Bluebridge has been able to do so, but is there room for another private operator? Clearly people think so, but why has it been so troubled? It's a bit like the lovely CEO from Kainga Ora who said really, in effect, the job is quite simple. We build houses for people, and we rent them out. He said it only got difficult when the previous administration wanted to make it a more social enterprise and bring in mixed model housing communities. If you drill down to what the job is, it's actually quite simple. So why have we struggled for decades to run a Cook Strait ferry crossing? It really, from the outside, doesn't seem that difficult. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism operators aren't sure whether they'll welcome smooth sailing or face choppy waters once the Interislander service loses one of its ferries. The Aratere retires in August, reducing the Cook Strait fleet to two until the expected arrival of new ones in 2029. KiwiRail operates the service and is confident the remaining ferries can handle the demand. Tess Brunton reports.

The Interislander ferry Aratere has broken down on a sailing from Picton to Wellington, leaving passengers stuck on board for hours. Reporter Nick James spoke to Corin Dann.

Two Interislander sailings have been cancelled after the Aratere ferry broke down on a sailing from Picton to Wellington. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy spoke to Corin Dann.

In today's episode, the Pentagon is reviewing the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries shows export forecasts are billions of dollars more than what was projected just months ago, two Interislander sailings have been cancelled after the Aratere ferry broke down on a sailing from Picton to Wellington the United Kingdom's national health service has told parents not to rely on shop-bought baby food as everyday meals after pouches from six leading brands fail to meet key nutritional standards, Brian Wilson, the co-founder of the 1960s group The Beach Boys, has died aged 82, and Nathan Rarere speaks to golfer Ryan Fox ahead of the US open.

It has been revealed that the Government considered using private company Bluebridge to replace the current Interislander fleet. It’s just the latest in the saga that is the Cook Strait ferries, after years of negotiations, debate, and an axed contract. But it’s hardly the first time we’ve had a major transport project face delays and changes. All forms of transport are eyeing big investments, but how long before we actually get some movement? Today on The Front Page, Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell is with us to dig into the politics behind the country’s transport networks. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsSound Engineer/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiRail says when the Aratere ferry is gone, passengers may need to travel on less popular sailings and be more flexible with dates. Interislander's executive general manager Duncan Roy spoke to Corin Dann.

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.

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.

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.

News that Kiwirail is retiring the Aratere this year has sparked questions about just how soon we will have contracts for the new Interisland ferries. To answer those questions, the man in charge of negotiating the new contracts, Ferry Holdings Ltd chair Chris Mackenzie, joined Nick Mills to discuss the progress. LISTEN ABOVESee 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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