Deputy PM Winston Peters reveals deadline for Cook Strait ferry decision

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has revealed the deadline for the Government’s decision on the future of Interislander’s Cook Strait ferries. Answering questions on behalf of the Prime Minister in the House this afternoon, Peters said the Government will decide by December 11. “It was always on the 11th of December or before so, we haven’t pushed any date out at all.

” It comes as KiwiRail is still negotiating its exit from a contract to build two new mega ferries almost one year after the Government pulled the plug on the project. A scheme to replace the current ageing Interislander fleet with two larger rail-enabled ships was left dead in the water in December after overall costs, including new terminals and wharf upgrades, ballooned to almost $3 billion and the new Government refused to fund the blowout..