Nicola Willis refuses to release Interislander letters, cites ongoing negotiations

KiwiRail wrote to Nicola Willis and other ministers setting out its preference for resolving the Hyundai contract on Jan 24. (Image: KiwiRail)

Oliver Lewis

Tue, 06 Aug 2024

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is refusing to release letters between ministers and KiwiRail about cancelling a $551 million shipbuilding contract with a South Korean shipyard, citing the ongoing state of exit negotiations.The state-owned rail and ferry operator entered into a contract with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in 2021 to procure two large rail-enabled ferries as part of its Interislander replacement project (iReX).The Government decided against providing additional funding for iReX last December after costs for the project doubled from $1.45...

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