What is the Minister's assessment, if any, of whether the metropolitan and national rail activities funded in Budget 2026 from reprioritised Rail Network Investment Programme 2024–2027 savings deliver better value or outcomes than the activities from which the funding was reprioritised, and what advice supports that assessment?

Answer

KiwiRail no longer required the $170 million capital funding that was previously set aside in tagged contingency through Budget 2024 due to efficiencies and savings progressed. Reprioritising this funding to the 2027-30 RNIP means that it is still being used for a similar purpose, and is consistent with a continuous programme approach prioritising expenditure to the highest value for money activities over time. The Ministry of Transport will be undertaking a proactive release of documents informing Budget 2026 decisions, including advice related to these initiatives, in due course.