4920 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Associate Minister of Education

4920 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Associate Minister of Education: Is the Minister confident that the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme is supplying halal-certified meals to all the children who need them; if so, what advice has he received to validate this?

Hon David Seymour: The Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme has never required Halal certification. However, I am advised by the Ministry of Education that agreements with providers state they must provide safe options for all children including those with cultural, special and complex dietary requirements - for example, children who are vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, or eat according to religious beliefs, such as halal food. The meals from the School Lunch Collective are made with Halal certified beef and chicken ingredients, and they do not contain pork or pork containing ingredients. The practice used to prepare food follows very strict cleaning and wash down procedures between each meal production. The meals are individually packed and sealed when delivered to schools. The Ministry is working with the Islamic community to discuss what more they can do to support meal providers.