Deputy PM Criticizes Principal After Mouldy School Lunch Incident

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has publicly criticized the principal of Haeata Community Campus in Christchurch following reports that students were served mouldy lunches. The incident, which occurred on March 4, 2024, has raised serious concerns among parents about the quality of meals provided under the government’s free school lunches programme.

Parents expressed their outrage after children consumed contaminated meals that were part of a service contracted to the Compass Group. The School Lunch Collective, which oversees the programme, confirmed it was investigating a “food quality issue” after students reported that the meals contained mouldy mince. A teacher at the school identified the issue after meals had already been distributed.

Parent Kalah Balir shared her distress, stating her 12-year-old daughter ate half of the meal before realizing it was spoiled. “I’m angry, I’m disgusted, it’s just sick that was served to children. It’s dangerous,” she said. Balir emphasized that she does not blame the school for the incident, noting that once alerted, the staff attempted to address the issue, but the sealed meals posed a challenge. “The government just needs to do better; our kids do not deserve this,” she added.

Another parent, Rebecca McKenzie, echoed similar sentiments. Her daughter also refused to finish the meal after finding it unpalatable. McKenzie expressed her disappointment, stating, “I have four kids at home, two of them go to Haeata. We as a family rely on those school lunches, but I’m actually very hesitant about letting them eat them from now on.” She highlighted the reliance many families have on these meals, particularly amid rising living costs.

Both parents reported that their children did not experience any immediate illness from the mouldy food but are vigilant for symptoms of food poisoning. In response to the incident, Seymour remarked that it was unclear whether the lunches had been improperly handled at the school or during distribution. He noted that there had been no reports of illness linked to the affected meals, but testing was underway to determine the cause of the contamination.

Earlier this year, the principal of Haeata Community Campus requested to terminate the contract with Compass Group due to ongoing issues with service quality, but this request was denied by the government. The principal has previously been vocal in the media regarding various government policies, which Seymour pointed out as important context for the current situation.

The Compass Group was not selected for the government’s list of lunch providers for the upcoming school year in 2026, highlighting ongoing concerns about their service. The School Lunch Collective’s investigation into the mouldy meals continues, as parents await further updates on the safety and quality of school lunches.