The principal of a school which served up a contaminated meal from the Government’s free school lunches programmes says she’s hurt by David Seymour’s comments against her.
The School Lunch Collective told RNZ it was investigating a “food quality issue” aftermouldy mince was served to students at Haeata Community Campus on Monday.
The Collective represents Compass Group, which was contracted to provide government-funded lunches for the Christchurch school.
David Seymour, who is the Associate Education Minister, spoke to First Up about the lunches on Tuesday morning, and accused the school’s principal Peggy Burrows, of being a “media frequent flyer”.
“It will be investigated but I also note this particular principal is a frequent flyer in the media complaining about quite a range of government policies... I think people need that context.”
In response, Burrows said she refused to get involved in a public stoush but added: “I am an educationist, not a politician. I am here to advocate for this community”.
“I must admit I was a little bit hurt to be described in that matter from a person who holds a significant portfolio in education and is, at the moment, the Deputy Prime Minister,” she said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met Mr Seymour personally or had a conversation with him.”
Haeata Community Campus cafe staff member Elise Darbyshire (left) and principal Peggy Burrows (right). Photo / RNZ, Adam Burns
MPI involved
The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), confirmed it would carry out checks of lunches at the school on Tuesday.
Food safety said it was working with the Ministry of Education and the National Public Health Service to establish the facts.
It said there was no evidence of any wider food safety issue at this stage.
Child unwell
The mother of a girl who ate one of the mouldy lunches said she was “appalled” by the situation and her daughter was now unwell.
Rebecca McKenzie, told Morning Report, her 12-year-old daughter Aurora, ate one of the meals on Monday and was now unwell.
“She is not looking good at the moment. She has a very queasy tummy and a temperature of 39, looking really quite sick, I’ll be ringing my doctor once it’s open.”
Rebecca says David Seymour wanted to cut the budget back and give us these not-so-nice meals. Photo / Mark Mitchell
McKenzie said her daughter had eaten just over half of the meal before throwing it out.
“She said her one didn’t look mouldy but it tasted very disgusting. She said it looked very undercooked which is quite normal with what they get served there.
“We rely on these meals and to have this is absolutely appalling, but unfortunately David Seymour wanted to cut the budget back and give us these not-so-nice meals.”
Earlier this year, the principal of the Christchurch school asked to get out of a contract with Compass Group following several weeks of problems and “disappointing” service, but this was denied by the Government.
Compass was not included on a list of providers chosen by the government to provide primary school lunches in 2026, but associate education minister David Seymour told First Up Compass would continue to provide lunches to high schools, intermediate schools and comprehensive schools.
