69503 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Associate Minister of Education

69503 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Associate Minister of Education: Does he stand by his statement that “some suppliers in the existing programme will be affected” and, if so, how many suppliers exactly and how many people do these suppliers employ?

Hon David Seymour: Yes. There are 153 suppliers and 19 iwi/hapū partners currently in the programme, with agreements in place until 24 December 2024. I am advised by the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) that at this stage 51 percent of suppliers will retain some or all their Ka Ora Ka Ako contracts. The remaining 49 percent of suppliers will not be approached about extensions to their contracts in 2025. All iwi and hapū partners will retain the same schools they currently provide lunches to. The Ministry does not collate data detailing how many people suppliers employ. As I stated at the time of the announcement, I have empathy for the affected suppliers - I really do. However the programme should never have been set up in this way. It is not sustainable for a small country like New Zealand to pay an additional circa $170 million per annum to subsidise businesses when we know we can deliver for the children much more efficiently; that is how countries go broke. This is also my response to written parliamentary question 69504 and 69707 (2024).