Peters announced yesterday that he had a “plan” to replace the three Interislander ferries in 2029.
He said the ferries will have “road and rail decks” which will load rail freight on and off the ships in “single shunt movements”.
Peters said the ships the Government was looking for would be “approximately 200m long – longer and wider than the current fleet”, however they would be shorter than the ferries ordered under Labour in 2021.
Peters said the Government would replace the old infrastructure in Picton. The infrastructure in Wellington “has life left in it”, Peters said, “so it will be modified and re-used”.
He said it would be the “most cost-effective option”.
Peters also fielded accusations yesterday of spreading disinformation following his comments targeting Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle.
The controversy involves Doyle’s social media posts that use queer community language.
“It’s clear the Green Party think that Doyle’s posts, language and innuendo are perfectly acceptable – the rest of New Zealand does not – including members of the rainbow community. Any Kiwi looking at those posts would have some serious questions and doubts about the suitability of these Green Party MPs,” Peters posted on X.
Peters held a press conference on Monday afternoon in which he questioned claims he was spreading disinformation.
“I didn’t make the posts, [Doyle] did. This is identity politics at its worst. This is virtue signaling at its worst.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called social media comments from Doyle “inappropriate”, but believed any threats of violence were “totally unacceptable”.
Luxon said scrutiny of remarks made on social media were “the reality of political life” and didn’t express any concern about Peters raising questions about some made by Doyle.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, however, said “context is critical” and some language used by minority groups may not be well understood by others.
Doyle, who uses they/them pronouns, has an Instagram account under the name “Biblebeltbussy”. The profile is private and notes in its biography that it is “on hiatus”.
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