1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: As a story on everybody's lips. It is the fairy. 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: The long awaited ferry announcement from the government came yesterday. However, 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: there's still plenty of unanswered questions. There are going to 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: be two new fairies, but the government won't say how 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: much they will cost or whether the rare fairies will 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: be rail enabled. A new Crown Company will be established 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: to have the new fairies ready to begin service by 8 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty nine. And Tonguey Ticketing joining to me right now. 9 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: He is a spokesperson for Transport and Labour's Chief Whip. Hello, 10 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: this is a Christmas gift for you, isn't it, Tongey? 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: Good morning Andrew. Well, I think this whole saga has 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: been ongoing and yesterday's announcement was extremely disappointing. It's rather underwhelming, 13 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: and this has been the sort of mainstay for Nicola 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 2: Allis since she's been in the Captain's chair around this 15 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 2: particular issue of the firies. 16 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: What is underwhelming about this deal, Well, the issue is. 17 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: That nothing really was announced Easter. That was an announcement 18 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: of an announcement. What we've learned is that Keywis will 19 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: need to wait longer for the fairies when they do arrive. 20 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: It was meant to be twenty twenty six under the 21 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: former government. Now we'll have to wait until at least 22 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 2: twenty twenty nine. There'll be smaller boats that are likely 23 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 2: to be rail enabled, which will have huge implications for 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 2: the main trunk line between the North and South Island 25 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 2: and fundamentally they will also end up costing much much more. 26 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: That is not a deal that kewis deserve. 27 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: Could you please explain the difference between rayant, rail enabled 28 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: and rail compatible and no rail at all. I mean, 29 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: what is the difference? Rail enabled is one roll on, 30 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: roll off or not? 31 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 2: You know? Yeah, So rail enabled is what we currently 32 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: have within the Interryindo fleet for one of the three ferries, 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 2: and it means that basically freight can simply go on 34 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: a train straight onto the ship at one end and 35 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: then come straight off again at the other. Rail compatible 36 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: means that they have to basically offload the freight onto 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: another vehicle to get it onto the ferry and then 38 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: at the other end to do the same. So it 39 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 2: is a sense of double handling. Now that adds additional 40 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: cost to freight costs and who will carry that It'll 41 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 2: be the consumer that will carry it, but also the 42 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: additional time it's around about three an extra three hours 43 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: on a return journey to basically double handle, which will 44 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 2: mean that you know, the feries can't can't run as much. 45 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you. National says their project will be 46 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: cheaper than yours or the one that you were overseeing, 47 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 1: or the one that you were in charge of, or 48 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: my Keywi Rail was running the whole thing. Will they 49 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,559 Speaker 1: have one if the project does come out cheaper. 50 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: Well, it won't come out cheaper. I mean, already there's 51 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: nearly half a billion dollars in sunk costs, the cancelation fee, 52 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: which will be upwards north of three hundred million. We 53 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: still don't know what that is, and they're still negotiating 54 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: that well into next year. The actual cost of the ferries. 55 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: On top of that, the additional increase and maintenance of 56 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: the fleet that now has to continue to run through 57 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: to twenty twenty nine, and then of course the portside 58 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: development which they're pushing that cost on to rate payers 59 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: and others. So this actual envelope will continue to skyrocket, 60 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: and they didn't give us any indication as to what 61 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: that final figure would look like. Yesterday as part of 62 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: then announcement. 63 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: Ever, tank You t kevy I, thank you so much 64 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: for your time today, tank You Utikeli chief Whip and 65 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: also Labour's transport spokesperson. And somebody saying, well, is that 66 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: a bias commentator. Yes, he's from labor that's his point 67 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: of view. We found out what Labour's point of view is. 68 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: We heard yesterday what National's point of view is, and 69 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: you're going to hear about everybody's point of view over 70 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: the course of the next day. That's called cabin seeing 71 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: all sides. That's called the media. That's called us story. 72 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, Listen live 73 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: to News Talks. It'd be from five am weekdays, or 74 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.