David Seymour questions Govt ownership of Cook Strait ferries after Winston Peters confirms state-owned operator

Wellington Reporter·NZ Herald·18 Jul, 2026 03:59 AM3 mins to read‌David Seymour (inset left) says operating Cook Strait ferries "is not something the Government needs to do", after Winston Peters announced state-owned enterprise KiwiRail will continue to run the service. Photos / NZMEAct leader David Seymour has questioned whether the Government should be in the ferry business, a day after Winston Peters confirmed the new Cook Strait fleet would not be privatised. Seymour has also questioned whether the new ferries’ names, Kupe and Cook, represent a “quiet nod