Labour sprayed money around but achieved little. As Finance Minister in 2017, I clearly recall being advised that rail-enabled ferries would be a big, expensive mistake in this day and age. With most freight now in containers, getting it from shore to ship and ship to shore is simple and easy. One thing that united the new coalition partners was a nostalgic love for all things heavy rail. They swiftly sent the message to KiwiRail that they wanted rail-enabled ferries, and would pay for them.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 16, 2023 17:15 UTC