Maritime NZ and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission are investigating the Aratere incident – putting the future of the Cook Strait connection under spotlight. 

The Interislander ferry Aratere ran aground on Friday night - after more than 24 hours it was successfully re-floated on Saturday night. 

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking “It feels like we’re a nation in decline - the question is are we going to tweak it, or change it?” 

Semyour said you’ve got to ask whether private enterprise should be contracted or take it over completely. 

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