The back-to-front ferry deal

Hard questions on costs and timing provoked a classic outburst of Winston Peters’ bluster. (Image: NZME)

Thu, 20 Nov 2025

It’s hardly a crime that whenever the Cook Strait ferry replacement is discussed, it’s the ferries we focus on first.But it would really make more sense to focus on whether, when they turn up, the wharves they will need will be ready.Even as Rail Minister Winston Peters was rolling out yesterday’s almost news-free “announcement” on the politically vexed project, he pointed without irony to the embarrassment in Australia over the fact that two new Tasmanian ferries are ready for use but can’t be operated...

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