Winston Peters: Minister for Rail on the new Cook Strait Interislander ferries being revealed

Winston Peters says logic has prevailed, as he confirms our new Cook Strait ferries are coming in under $2 billion dollars. 

The new Interislander vessels are expected to arrive in 2029 under budget.

The Rail Minister claims it's saved the taxpayer more than $2 billion on the canned mega-ferries project. 

Peters says he's confident the Government's done the right thing.

"This is common sense we're applying here, there are contingencies in our plan as well. And to cover off any concerns you've got...we've got together a hard-nosed team."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Afternoon, Winston Peters says that he's saved US two point
three billion dollars with his new fairy deal. He's released
the costing for two new cook straight fairies, set to
arrive in four years time. The new fairies plus the
supporting infrastructure will cost one point eight six billion dollars,
and he's with us right now, Winston, Hello, Hello, are
you still confident that you've done the right thing?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Totally confident we've done the right thing, and it's down
to some expert people we hired, including the people in
the unions, the people who are on the straits themselves,
ships captains and people with experience. We went to them
for their best of advice and we got it.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Okay, because it doesn't look like you've actually really solved
saved that much.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Right.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
You take the cost of the fairies and the supporting infrastructure,
add to it the cost of the i REX project
which was canceled, add to it the cost of the
break fees, and you've ended up at two point five
billion dollars in what you guys have spent. Compare that
to Grant Robertson's deal of two point six billion. It's
not that much of.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
A saving Well, if you're going to use rubbish figures,
you'll come to your conclusion. But those figures are rubbish
and is proven by the documents they got from within
the organization as they were pursuing Irex in twenty twenty three,
and also from Treasury and weak out there Treasure, we're
saying this could blow out to four point two billion.
Those are the figures we're using.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, it's only rubbish. Though, if you assume that the
projection of the blowout is correct, can you promise though,
that your deal is not going to blow out.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yes, it's the reason why we've got discipline and this
is a common sense we're applying here. There are contendencies
in our whole plan as well to cover off any concerns.
You've got all of that nature. But no, we've got
together a hard nosed team, people like Ether Simpson and others,
mean Chris McKenzie, very experienced people and they've done a

(01:42):
marvelous job and I'm very grateful to them.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Okay, what are the contingencies you've gotten there?

Speaker 2 (01:47):
Four fifty million for what? Well, we know what contenency means,
don't you. In case it's required to be used.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yep, so it could potentially blow out by that much.
Or have you built the You've got that's built into
the package.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
It's built into the package, built into Well done, Hither
you finally got there. Thank you very much, Oh Winston.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
You always broke my day. Thank you so much, looking
after yourself, Winston Peters Aright For more from Hither Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
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