Meola Reef, upgrading existing harbour bridge and tunnel to be looked at in government search for an additional Waitematā Harbour crossing option

The Government will probe options for another Waitematā Harbour crossing, with Transport Minister Chris Bishop saying as it will likely be the largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand, it is “imperative that we get it right.”

Bishop and Auckland Minister Simon Watts say a detailed business case on options will look at funding, financing and delivery.

The business case will look at a potential new bridge or tunnel crossing, it will also consider a private proposal for an upgrade to the current bridge and the Government also has commissioned another study into Meola Reef as Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown had expressed a "strong view" that was the better idea.

“Getting this project right means figuring out what we are going to build based on what we've found in the ground and under the harbour, not just what works on paper," Bishop and Watts say.

"It means being up front about what we can afford, how we will pay for it, how we will deliver it, and how it will fit into the wider Auckland network. It also means talking to Aucklanders and the Opposition before the Government endorses a preferred option – not after," they say.

Earlier this year the Infrastructure Commission suggested a $9 toll to be placed on the current and future Auckland harbour crossings, saying its proposal reflected the maximum sustainable toll to help fund the multi-billion-dollar project.

Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper said the figure represents the revenue-maximising charge to raise up to $7 billion to $9 billion, and is intended to spark a broader debate about how New Zealand pays for its most expensive infrastructure.

Bishop said in 2024, they set out the Government’s expectations for the project and requested officials analyse bridge and tunnel options for the project.

“Since then, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has significantly advanced the project, including value engineering to reduce costs and due diligence on construction requirements for the first time such as geotechnical investigations," Bishop said.

Earlier this year, NZTA endorsed its preferred option of a tunnel.

However, Bishop said despite the "great progress", more work was required before Cabinet can select a preferred option.

“Given the scale and complexity of this project, Cabinet has agreed that an independently led detailed business case is needed."

"This will allow us to do further work required on funding and financing, and delivery model options. It will also allow us to consider the Auckland transport network more broadly including NZTA’s Auckland Motorway Plan, any time-of-use charging scheme, and the 30-year Auckland Integrated Transport Plan to be developed as part of the Auckland Transport governance reforms."

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the decision was an "announcement about an announcement, about a study about a study, so they can make a decision about a decision".

"These are not serious people."

However, he said if Labour were to get in after the election they were not going to stop the business case. 

"I thought the detailed business case was what they committed to doing two years ago. They clearly haven't done that, so we'll continue what they have now committed.

"They commissioned a process. We want to keep that going. The one area where I would agree with Christopher Luxon on is there's been way too much flip-flopping and chopping and changing of priorities in this area, and we're not going to do that."

Bishop said the business case was expected to be finished next year. 

If he would be comfortable with a decision being made as late as 2028, Hipkins said that "ultimately, there is now a process that they've triggered".

"We're going to see that process through to its conclusion."