
Treasury advised against rail ferries before Government's purchase
RNZ
Treasury advised the Government not to buy rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries three weeks before it announced it would.
On March 31, the Government announced it would buy two new Interislander ferries to be delivered by 2029 to replace the current ageing

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scoop
8 hours ago
- Scoop
Government Cuts Off Public Voice On Controversial Bill
Te Pāti Māori condemns the Government's decision to restrict oral submissions on the Regulatory Standards Bill to just 30 hours, calling it a deliberate move to shut down dissent. 'This is not a process. It's a purge. The Government is pushing a dangerous law and silencing those who would challenge it' said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Rawiri Waititi. Despite repeated system failures and hundreds still waiting to be heard, Ministers have refused to extend the deadline. Māori voices, tangata tiriti, constitutional experts, legal academics, unions, and community advocates are being locked out. 'The Crown never intended to listen. They've built a submission process designed to collapse under pressure and it did. Now they're cutting the cord' said Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. 'The Regulatory Standards Bill hands sweeping power to unelected officials and opens the door for corporate veto over worker protections, environmental safeguards, and Te Tiriti rights.' 'This is the machinery of suppression dressed as reform. Thirty hours isn't public consultation it's an alibi' said Waititi. Te Pāti Māori is demanding an immediate extension to the submission timeframe and guarantees that every voice has the right to be heard. 'We will fight this Bill in Parliament, in the courts, and in our communities' said Waititi. 'A government that shuts its ears is not fit to govern.'


Scoop
11 hours ago
- Scoop
LGNZ Welcomes Draft National Infrastructure Plan, Calls For Better Collaboration
Local Government NZ (LGNZ) has welcomed the Infrastructure Commission's draft National Infrastructure Plan, which calls for the Government to commit to greater transparency and more rigorous business cases for major infrastructure projects. LGNZ national council member Mayor Neil Holdom says councils – unlike the Government – already operate under robust legal requirements for long-term planning, transparent reporting and prudent asset management. 'This is exactly what the Infrastructure Commission is calling for, and it's great to see central government starting to hold itself to the same standards it expects of councils,' says Mayor Neil Holdom. 'We all know there are a number of infrastructure challenges in New Zealand, and the best way to tackle these challenges is for central and local government to work together constructively to find the best outcomes. 'There are many things we can learn from one another, and we owe it to our communities to do that if we want to achieve the desired outcomes. 'However, it's also important that we caution against complacency. Councils' experience shows that even with strong frameworks in place, the real challenge lies in prioritising investments that deliver the greatest value for communities and ensuring maintenance and renewals are not overlooked in favour of new, 'shiny' projects – as well as making sure funding and financing settings support both these aims. 'We look forward to working with the Government on a way forward, in order to deliver on better infrastructure outcomes for the country.'

RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ pulls out of global coalition for phasing out fossil fuels
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says the government's decision to repeal the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration was the main reason for leaving the coalition. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro The New Zealand government has quietly pulled out of an international coalition for phasing out fossil fuels. The move follows the announcement of $200 million funding to support new drilling for fossil fuel fields at the Budget. Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said the catalyst for leaving the alliance was the government's decision to repeal the previous government's ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration. New Zealand joined the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance at the Glasgow climate summit in 2021. The international alliance of governments works together on the "managed phase-out of oil and gas production". It was led by Denmark and Costa Rica, and includes France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and several Pacific island nations. Watts confirmed New Zealand had exited the group after the move was reported by Carbon News. He said he did not think it would have a significant impact on New Zealand's international reputation. Watts said the government notified the alliance members in June that the repeal of the oil and gas exploration ban was coming, and removed itself from the group. He said he had asked the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade to communicate the decision in advance to Pacific countries, and had not received any negative feedback from other countries on the move. Being an associate member - as New Zealand was - required working to end subsidies for oil and gas and ending public finance for fossil fuel development. Newsroom reported in November that the coalition's decision to restart oil and gas exploration had raised questions among members about New Zealand's continued participation. The Green Party said the move was the latest sign the government cared little for the climate crisis or its impacts on the cost of living. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the coalition's fossil fuel subsidies helped secure profits of fossil fuel executives but made life harder for regular people. The news came a day after the Green Party released legal advice saying the coalition's $200 million dollar investment fund for local gas exploration was a "clear breach" of an international trade agreement with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland . The Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability deal focuses on trade in sustainable goods and services and was signed by the government last November. It has been described as a "ground-breaking" trade agreement that delivered commercial opportunities to New Zealand's economy, while addressing climate change and sustainability challenges. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.