Politicians on Breakfast this morning agreed that KiwiRail has issues that have been left untouched for too long, but disagree on how much blame the Government carries.
Speaking with Breakfast this morning, Transport Minister Michael Wood said he was "hacked off on behalf of Wellington commuters" after a sudden breakdown of critical equipment, slashing timetables across the Wellington network.
He explained the details of an ongoing rapid review into recent events.
"We're launching this rapid review, a) to understand exactly what happened here, why it happened and to put steps in place to make sure it does not happen again, and secondly to make sure that we understand that KiwiRail has the right culture and attitude and internally to make sure they are focused on customer service, 'cause ultimately that's what this is about," he said.
"The rapid review in 30 days will review that and report back to ministers and KiwiRail and recommend any changes that need to be made."
Michael Wood and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni joined Breakfast to discuss the rail problems in Wellington. (Source: Breakfast)
When asked if a review would extend into recent troublesome ferry services, Wood said work was already underway and that the vessels "should have been replaced years ago".
"The first [new] ferry will come on stream in 2025, the issue we've got is how we navigate that period between now and then, and we've tasked the KiwiRail board with having a plan to make sure the services are safe and reliable.
"We want [the review] to look in general at the culture and the approach within the organisation to make sure it is focused on good public service."
Infrastructure New Zealand's chief executive Nick Leggett and National MP and infrastructure spokesperson Chris Bishop also chatted with Breakfast, Leggett saying recent events were the result of a "national mindset around deferral and underinvestment over many, many years".
The National MP said ministers had been more focussed on “vanity projects” like light rail in Auckland. (Source: Breakfast)
"We don't think about what's under the ground, once we've built it we just sort of let it rot, and we don't have the knowledge or the information about assets to know when we need to spend more on them, to upgrade them or renew them," he said.
"We've got to collectively lift our headspace to a point where we're thinking ahead, we're looking at the risk, and most critically we're investing in renewing those critical assets that keep us going on a daily basis."
Bishop asserted that the Government had "taken its eye off the ball" in terms of ensuring KiwiRail properly spends the money it is given.
"KiwiRail operates in a very funny situation. They're a state-owned enterprise, so they're separate from ministers, but they're not actually expected to turn a profit, and they're actually very close to government in the sense that ministers are direct in control of their expenditure," he said.
"So my point is, have ministers taken their eye off the ball? I would argue they probably have when it comes to KiwiRail and instead they've been focused on things like light rail in Auckland and other sort of vanity projects."
Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni deflected Bishop and Leggett's comments, telling Breakfast that the recent chaos ought to be pinned on the previous National Government.
"It's always difficult when you come in off the back of a government who had nine years who didn't invest in this space," she said.
"I think it's a bit rich for National to say that we [Labour] have a culture of deferral when clear the level of investment that we've put in far exceeds what they were investing in rail and in supplies to other areas of infrastructure as well."
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