Latest news with #TangiUtikere
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Eye-Watering Break Fee For Botched Ferries
It has been revealed that the Government is paying a staggering $144 million to cancel the previous contract for the new Interislander ferries. 'Nicola Willis' terrible decision-making has now cost taxpayers more than half a billion dollars in total – $671 million – with no new ferries to show for it,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'The $144 million break fee is on top of money already paid to Hyundai, which takes the amount of taxpayer money National has poured down the drain to $222 million. The rest is project management, landside infrastructure and paying to wind down the project – totalling more than half a billion. 'This proves Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis have absolutely no clue what they're doing and are just making things worse. 'The amount of taxpayer money they've wasted with absolutely nothing to show for it makes a mockery of every time they've said they can't afford something. 'They can find more than half a billion dollars to botch a ferry project, but can't find any money to build homes, create jobs or fund the health system properly. 'People are struggling with the cost of living while Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon's economic decisions run aground and sink,' Tangi Utikere said. Notes: Original estimates of $1.16 billion referenced in the Beehive PR includes the originally budgeted $300 million for the break fee plus the cost of ongoing maintenance of the current ferries. The contract was originally going to deliver the ferries next year, in 2026. The current projection for new ferries is at least three years later.
Scoop
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Govt Overreach Removes Power From Local Councils
Ministers will now be able to override the decisions of councils and locally elected officials. 'Chris Bishop has taken National's general disdain for local councils up a notch and has assigned himself the role of Chief Council Despot,' Labour local government spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'Councils are elected by the people they serve and know their regions and cities best. Chris Bishop deciding that plans made by local communities are overly restrictive without any evidence to back it up is wrong. 'National's Resource Management Act legislation is getting the whims of every minister taped to it – instead of protecting natural and urban environments and delivering better outcomes, the hodge podge law is giving Chris Bishop a free pass to do whatever he likes. 'New Zealand is not a sandpit for Chris Bishop to play in. 'We had a bipartisan agreement on Medium Density Residential Standards which National backed out of. They shafted councils on water, pulled out of RMA reform that was already underway to fix intensification, and used their fast-track law to override much of what local communities want. 'National has long displayed a thinly veiled disdain for local Government, offending regional and local councils at every turn, it's not just rude, it's poor politics. There is absolutely nothing heroic about this,' Tangi Utikere said.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Manawatū Gorge Replacement Opens Toll-Free
Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open,' says Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere. Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. Local Labour MPs Tangi Utikere and Kieran McAnulty wore their Toll-Free Tararua t-shirts to celebrate the opening of the new road without the National Government's proposed toll. 'It is such a relief for locals to have the Manawatū Tararua Highway open today, after years of work went in to replace the old Manawatū Gorge,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open. 'That was greedy and uncalled for, given the road had already been funded by Labour. 'It took a huge effort by locals, and strong support from people in surrounding areas who stood against National's toll. 'It's a beautiful new road, and I look forward to using it regularly to drive between the mighty electorates of Palmerston North and Wairarapa,' Tangi Utikere said.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Manawatū Gorge Replacement Opens Toll-Free
Thanks to a successful community-led campaign backed by Labour, Lower North Island locals are today celebrating the toll-free opening of Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway. Local Labour MPs Tangi Utikere and Kieran McAnulty wore their Toll-Free Tararua t-shirts to celebrate the opening of the new road without the National Government's proposed toll. 'It is such a relief for locals to have the Manawatū Tararua Highway open today, after years of work went in to replace the old Manawatū Gorge,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'We had to campaign hard against a National Government that wanted to slap a toll on locals who had already waited a long time for this road to open. 'That was greedy and uncalled for, given the road had already been funded by Labour. 'It took a huge effort by locals, and strong support from people in surrounding areas who stood against National's toll. 'It's a beautiful new road, and I look forward to using it regularly to drive between the mighty electorates of Palmerston North and Wairarapa,' Tangi Utikere said.
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Still No Ferries As First Of Old Fleet Retire
Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party Nicola Willis botched the original ferry deal, failed to secure a new deal and then ran away from the mess she made,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. Two old and ageing ferries are going to have to work double time because of this Government's failure to get a ferry deal. 'Nicola Willis botched the original ferry deal, failed to secure a new deal and then ran away from the mess she made,' Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. 'Winston Peters now has to watch the current rail-enabled ferry retire four years before he's promising replacements. He hasn't even secured a new contract, we are no clearer on cost, but he's claiming replacements will arrive in 2029. How can New Zealanders trust that without any details? 'I feel for the workers set to lose their jobs because of this Government's ferry failures, but job losses seem to be run-of-the-mill under this Coalition. 'Labour's ferries would have arrived next year. In time to replace the ageing fleet so taxpayer's money wasn't being spent on ongoing maintenance of the old fleet and job losses would've been avoided. 'Winston Peters claiming he doesn't want to pay to maintain use of the rail-enabled Aratere, when he's getting two decades-old ferries to do double the work is ridiculous. 'At this rate we'll have no ferries left before he even signs a contract for new ones. Who will retire first, the current fleet of Cook Strait ferries, or Winston Peters?' Tangi Utikere said.
