NZTA defends giving Wellington Airport secret briefings on multi-billion dollar tunnel project

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has defended its decision to provide Wellington Airport with confidential briefings regarding a multi-billion dollar tunnel project. Documents obtained by the Herald show that airport executives were required to sign non-disclosure agreements before receiving sensitive information. This occurred while politicians involved in the project were kept in the dark. The NZTA stated that these briefings were essential for the project's success and that all necessary protocols were followed. The agency maintains that the information shared was crucial for planning and development, and that the NDAs were standard practice for such sensitive, large-scale infrastructure initiatives. However, the revelation has raised questions about transparency and the process of informing elected officials about major government projects.