A New Zealand government minister has named a new inter-island ferry after the 18th-century explorer Captain James Cook, and used the announcement to dismiss critics of the choice, telling what he called "snivelling wokesters" to accept the decision. The naming reflects wider tensions in New Zealand over how colonial-era figures are commemorated, with such choices increasingly contested between those who see them as celebrating national heritage and those who view them as insensitive to Māori history.

Specific details of the ferry itself, such as its route, cost or delivery date, were not included in the available report, which focused on the minister's combative remarks defending the name. The minister's language was pointedly dismissive of opponents, framing the decision as final and casting critics as overly sensitive, a rhetorical approach that has become a recurring feature of debates over historical naming and symbolism in New Zealand public life.