Live: PM and infrastructure minister speak to media at post-Cabinet conference

The government has announced a detailed business case for a new Waitematā Harbour crossing in Auckland.That's despite an investment case already having been completed by the Transport Agency (NZTA) - including value engineering and a barge doing seabed testing - just three months ago.The work would be carried out by an independent "senior responsible officer", would be half funded by Auckland Council, and completed some time in 2027.Cabinet had also agreed to commission another study into Meola Reef - as backed by Auckland mayor Wayne Brown - if the council was interested.The council would be invited to take part in the Meola study.Ministers would also consider a market-led proposal for an "innovative construction methodology" to upgrade the current Auckland Harbour bridge.Announcing the new business case at the weekly post-Cabinet briefing on Monday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said it was unacceptable weight restrictions and a lack of bus lanes were restricting use of the current Harbour bridge.They said the bridge formed part of the busiest corridor on state highways across the country.But despite the NZTA's study recommending a tunnel, the ministers said more work was needed before Cabinet could select a preferred option."Previous governments have gone out and announced what they are going to build before they have done the work required around how much it will cost, how they are going to pay for it, and whether the project is deliverable. This Government does not intend to make the same mistake," Bishop said."We need Auckland - New Zealand's economic engine room - connected, productive, and set up for growth and prosperity. The case for a new crossing is strong, and we are committed to delivering it," Bishop said."The WHC (Waitematā Harbour Crossing) project will likely be the largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand. It is imperative that we get it right because New Zealand's fiscal position, economic performance, and reputation as a modern, functional, first-world country depends on it."Bishop said NZTA had done good work to get the project to this point but the government believed the project should be directly responsible to Ministers.The SRO would be directly answerable to the Finance, Transport and Auckland Ministers as well as Cabinet, and would be recruited globally to find "someone with the expertise and experience to deliver", he said."Every country that has built a megaproject this size has learned the same lesson: they cost more and take longer than the first estimates suggest. Not necessarily because of the engineering, but because of scale, duration, and the number of approvals and decision-makers involved along the way," he said."That's a governance problem, and it has a governance solution."Bishop said the Meola Reef option had been looked at "many times in the past before and discounted as unachievable" but Cabinet had agreed to commission a further study "in the spirit of good faith" if the council desired it.The proposal to strengthen the existing bridge had come from a "reputable international consortium", and officials had recommended it be advanced and included as part of the detailed business case."As Mayor Brown has said, projects don't go wrong - they start wrong. I couldn't agree more, that's why we are making sure we set this project and, by extension, Auckland up for success," Bishop said.Parliament back after one-week recessParliament is back sitting this week after a one-week recess that saw National Party MPs unexpectedly fly back to Wellington for the day on Wednesday after Luxon called an urgent in-person caucus meeting.Luxon came out of the meeting as leader, with what he said was a "united caucus" following a successful confidence vote.He later demoted Defence Minister Chris Penk from all his portfolios for launching a challenge against his leadership.Penk late on Wednesday night announced he would not contest his Kaipara ki Mahurangi seat at the upcoming election.Education Minister Erica Standford held a last-minute media stand up on Sunday afternoon to explain why she did not give Luxon her backing in the lead up to last week's emergency meeting.There has been some suggestions Penk was merely the numbers man for either Stanford or Bishop.Luxon told Morning Report on Monday he was in no doubt of Stanford's backing."I know I have her full support - always have."Bishop told Morning Report that Penk had acted alone in his challenge of Luxon.He said the community response to the leadership vote was one of "just move on".