QTS-096 · Official information release · 2024
OIA-15181 response: Request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (Queenstown Package $250m - costs, contingencies and risk)
NZTA (Waka Kotahi) response of 28 May 2024 (ref OIA-15181) to Crux Publishing Ltd's 17 April 2024 request asking how the Government agreed the $250m figure for the Queenstown Package: what information was supplied, including cost breakdowns, contingencies and risk levels, and how the spend is broken down by stage. NZTA extended the response time on 16 May 2024. It released one document, BRI-2973, the briefing to Hon Simeon Brown and Hon Nicola Willis seeking endorsement of a reduced scope Queenstown Package at an estimated $250 million (see BRI2973). Information was withheld under s 9(2)(a) (privacy), s 9(2)(f)(iv) (confidentiality of advice) and s 9(2)(j) (negotiations). No other documents, cost breakdowns or stage breakdowns were released. The letter was signed by Mark Kinvig, National Manager Infrastructure Delivery.
What the document says
Context: Response letter dated 28 May 2024 from NZTA to Crux Publishing Ltd, ref OIA-15181 (p1). The request of 17 April 2024 asked how the Government reached agreement on the $250m figure, what information was supplied (cost breakdowns, contingencies and risk levels from NZTA project leads), and for comment on what the budget reflects, how fixed it is and how spend is broken down by stage. It referred to reader scepticism about how a project budget could 'double overnight' and to the Queenstown arterial road stage one overrun (p1).
Response: NZTA extended the 20 working day limit on 16 May 2024 under section 15A (p1). It attached BRI-2973, sent to the Minister of Transport and Minister of Finance seeking endorsement of a reduced scope package at an estimated $250 million (p1). Information was withheld under s 9(2)(a), s 9(2)(f)(iv) and s 9(2)(j), and NZTA found no public interest factors outweighing withholding (p1). The letter notes the right to Ombudsman review and names Andy Knackstedt, Senior Media Manager, as contact (p2). It does not answer the requested commentary on stage breakdowns or how fixed the budget is beyond releasing the briefing.
Comparison: The briefing as released here (key BRI2973) withholds the risk-adjusted contingency, the NZUP programme contingency and the monthly alliance cost under s 9(2)(j). These figures ($20 million, $116 million, $900,000 per month) were released in January 2026 under OIA-20263 (document 13 of the OIA-20263 release).
Mass rapid transit: The letter says nothing about mass rapid transit.
Key figures
- Request dated 17 April 2024; extension 16 May 2024; response 28 May 2024 (p1)
- Released BRI-2973 seeking endorsement of reduced scope at an estimated $250 million (p1)
Files
- Open Main document (PDF, 210 KB) Opens in a new tab.
Main document
Actions recorded
No actions are recorded on this document.
Study cost
Not separately commissioned. This is an internal or corporate document.
Citation
OIA-15181 response: Request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (Queenstown Package $250m - costs, contingencies and risk) (2024). OIA-15181.