Winston Peters is tip-toeing around whether New Zealand First will get the rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries it campaigned for.

The Government has announced it'll set up a new company to procure new Interislander vessels - and has made Peters the Minister for Rail. 

It's almost a year since the coalition scrapped Labour's contract for buying two mega-ferries that would have joined up rail across the two islands.

Nicola Willis says the new ferries will be smaller and rail-capable, but not fully rail enabled.

Peters says he's conceded nothing.

He says he's taken on railways in the past - and dramatically turned them around - and people should ask the Maritime Union if they have confidence in him.

LISTEN ABOVE

Winston Peters is tip-toeing around whether New Zealand First will get the rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries it campaigned for.
The Government has announced it'll set up a new company to procure new Interislander vessels - and has made Peters the Minister for Rail.&nbsp;
It's almost a year since the coalition scrapped Labour's contract for buying two mega-ferries that would have joined up rail across the two islands.
Nicola Willis says the new ferries will be smaller and rail-capable, but not fully rail enabled.
Peters says he's conceded nothing.
He says he's taken on railways in the past - and dramatically turned them around - and people should ask the Maritime Union if they have confidence in him.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Winston Peters: newly-appointed Minister for Rail on the Government's new Cook Strait ferry plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/92a5f260-be06-4440-a0c2-b243005a3559/transcript

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