There was limited information on two options the current Government were exploring, but these included a tunnel and a bridge.

Brown told reporter It had instructed NZTA to “make progress in evaluating two options for an additional Waitematā Harbor crossing in Auckland” and the Government “expects an investment decision to be taken for consideration on this critical project in mid-2026”.

Brown said over the next 12 to 18 months NZTA would carry out geotechnical, environmental and utilities surveys to understand ground and seabed conditions. This was expected to begin either late this year or early 2025, while an investment decision was not expected to be considered by the Government until mid-2026.

Labor transport spokeswoman Tangi Utikere said her party would be open to all options on the table as it was “critical for Auckland to have an additional port crossing”.

“We’ll be open to supporting those options, whether they go down to a tunnel or a bridge, because when it comes to infrastructure, it’s so important to just kind of start and stop,” he said. reporter.

But Utikere believed the Government needed to act “urgently” to decide which alternative would give the green light to the transition. He said it was disappointing that the decision was so far away.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter on the NZ Herald Press Gallery team in Parliament. He has been with NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei, before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.