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Questions and Answers
What percentage of respondents believed the government made the wrong decision regarding the cancellation of the Interislander ferries?
What was the primary reason for the government's decision to halt the iRex project?
What did Finance Minister Nicola Willis suggest about the nature of the question posed in the poll?
What has been reported as already spent on the iRex project, excluding contract termination costs?
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What concern did Labour leader Chris Hipkins express about the cancellation of the ferry project?
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Which aspect of the iRex project did Finance Minister Willis consider to be flawed?
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What percentage of poll respondents indicated they were unsure or did not want to say their opinion about the ferry cancellation?
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How has Chris Hipkins proposed to address the penalties related to the canceled ferry contract?
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Study Notes
Government Decision on Interislander Ferries
- Recent 1News Verian poll reveals 51% of Kiwis believe the Government wrongly canceled the Interislander's new ferries.
- The Cabinet declined further funding for the iRex project after costs soared to $3 billion, halting the mega ferries initiative.
- Poll results: 26% supported the decision, while 22% were unsure or did not respond, with rounding preventing total from reaching 100%.
Ministerial Responses
- Finance Minister Nicola Willis defended the decision, highlighting that most expenses were linked to port upgrades rather than the ferries.
- Willis criticized the poll's framing, suggesting a better question would focus on cost-effective ferry replacement rather than outright cancellation.
- Earlier this year, a ministerial advisory group provided ferry options in June; however, no further announcements have been made.
Financial Aspects and Critique
- A total of $484 million has been spent on the iRex project prior to the contract termination for the mega ferries.
- Willis claims that replacing the ferries will incur "significantly" lower costs than those associated with the "flawed" iRex project.
- Labour leader Chris Hipkins questions the decision, arguing it may incur significant penalties to shipbuilders and criticizes the lack of an alternative plan at the time of cancellation.
Sector Concerns
- Dom Kalasih, CEO of Transporting New Zealand, acknowledges the necessity of scrapping the iRex project but emphasizes the need for transparent communication regarding future steps.
- The transport sector expresses uncertainty about the next actions concerning ferry services, rather than debating the merits of the cancellation itself.
Polling Details
- The 1News Verian poll surveyed 1001 eligible voters between August 10 and 14, providing a representative sample of public opinion on the matter.
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Description
Explore public opinion on the recent decision by the New Zealand government to cancel the new Interislander Cook Strait ferries. According to a 1News Verian poll, around half of Kiwis believe the government made the wrong choice due to budget overruns of the project. Test your understanding of this important issue affecting New Zealand's transport network.
