In the first month of 2025, something smelled off in New Zealand schools—and it wasn’t just the curry lentil bake.
A Government-funded lunch programme, meant to feed thousands of school kids on a tighter budget, has racked up 171 formal complaints from schools in just four weeks. That’s nearly six complaints a day. And yet, Associate Minister of Education David Seymour reckons it’s all sunshine and sandwiches.
The numbers, obtained by Newstalk ZB through an Official Information Act request, paint a messier picture.
“Doing a Great Job” or Just Feeding Pigs?
Let’s break it down: 93 schools filed complaints between the start of term one and February 27. The issues? Everything from missing deliveries and inedible food to botched special diets and halal meals that weren’t actually halal.
One school was so unimpressed with the meal quality they fed it to a pig instead of the students. And honestly, who can blame them?
But Seymour? He’s still clapping for the programme.
“In the first month of the new programme there were only 171 complaints,” he said. “It is clear that the new programme is doing a great job while costing the taxpayer half as much.”
Budget Cuts, Big Promises, and Bigger Backlash
This all started when the Government decided to shave over $130 million off the original school lunches programme. What was once a $325 million operation is now running on $239 million.
The pitch? Efficiency. Bulk buying. Leaner logistics. Seymour said they were leveraging “commercial expertise” and using the Government’s buying power to streamline operations.
But it seems schools are still waiting for those efficiencies to taste edible.
Complaints Breakdown:
- 38 complaints from 30 schools over special dietary requirements
- 28 complaints from 25 schools about meal quality
- 21 complaints from 20 schools about food safety and suitability
- Countless kids complaining about what’s actually ending up on their trays
And the halal situation? One provider admitted the meals were only “halal friendly,” not certified. That’s like calling margarine “butter adjacent.”
The Ministry: “Mostly Resolved”
Despite the drama, the Ministry of Education is sticking by the School Lunch Collective. Acting head of operations Hester Goodwin said the term one shortfalls were due to production issues and are now mostly resolved.
With new equipment and more staff at Compass’ Central Manufacturing Unit, they promise better quality control and more consistent meals going forward.
And to be fair, the numbers show over 6 million lunches were delivered since term one began—with around 2.5 million meals going out in the first month alone. So yes, that’s a lot of food.
But also… a lot of complaints.
Labour’s Response: “Hugely Concerning”
Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime isn’t convinced by the spin.
“It’s hugely concerning to see that many complaints in such a short time.”
She added she’s glad the Auditor-General is investigating, hoping improvements are made “for the sake of our children.”
Because, let’s be honest: kids don’t care about budget spreadsheets—they just want to eat something that doesn’t look like it came out of a science experiment.
Four Schools Already Opted Out
And while the Ministry insists “recent delivery has been more than 99% on time,” some schools aren’t sticking around to find out if that stat includes meals students actually want to eat.
Four schools that were part of the original programme have already opted out of the new one altogether.
TL;DR
- 171 complaints in the first month
- Meals labeled inedible
- Some fed to pigs
- Halal meals not actually halal
- Minister says: “Great job”
If this is a great job, we’d hate to see a bad one.
The real test? Whether kids keep eating these meals—or start bringing lunchboxes again. Stay tuned.
Source: Newstalk ZB via OIA request — Read Full Article
