It’s a year on from the Interislander’s terrifying Kaitaki incident.

The ferry lost power in Cook Strait with 864 people on board and issued a mayday call as it drifted towards Wellington’s rocky south coast.

Luckily, disaster was narrowly avoided, and there was some comfort that KiwiRail had new mega ferries ordered and on the way to replace the ageing Interislander fleet.

But fast-forward to today and KiwiRail’s mega ferry project has been canned after Finance Minister Nicola Willis refused to fund the latest budget blowout of $1.47 billion.

So what’s the new plan to replace the ageing ferries and what does this mean for this critical supply chain link in the meantime?

Today on The Front Page, Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison and BusinessDesk infrastructure editor Oliver Lewis discuss the decisions behind the cancellation and what needs to happen next. 

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Georgina Campbell
Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox
Producer: Ethan Sills

It’s a year on from the Interislander’s terrifying Kaitaki incident.
The ferry lost power in Cook Strait with 864 people on board and issued a mayday call as it drifted towards Wellington’s rocky south coast.
Luckily, disaster was narrowly avoided, and there was some comfort that KiwiRail had new mega ferries ordered and on the way to replace the ageing Interislander fleet.
But fast-forward to today and KiwiRail’s mega ferry project has been canned after Finance Minister Nicola Willis refused to fund the latest budget blowout of $1.47 billion.
So what’s the new plan to replace the ageing ferries and what does this mean for this critical supply chain link in the meantime?
Today on The Front Page, Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison and BusinessDesk infrastructure editor Oliver Lewis discuss the decisions behind the cancellation and what needs to happen next. 
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Georgina Campbell Sound Engineer: Paddy Fox Producer: Ethan Sills

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future.

Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. 

Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald&rsquo;s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what&rsquo;s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future.
Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture.&nbsp;
Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Every day, The Front Page takes you behind the scenes of the biggest story from the New Zealand Herald. Hosted by Damien Venuto

The Front Page

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news analysis podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future. Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald&rsquo;s daily news analysis podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what&rsquo;s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future. Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.