David Seymour: Associate Education Minister insists school lunch programme problems are being addressed

The Associate Education Minister claims problems with school lunches are being addressed.

David Seymour's revamped programme, delivered for millions-of-dollars less than Labour's, has been plagued by complaints of late deliveries and sub-standard food. 

Seymour claims lunches are now delivered nearly 100 percent on time. 

He says he's committed to fixing the other issues.

"I think we will be delivering something that everyone's going to be very pleased with - as we iron out problem after problem. That's all you can do." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Associate Education mister David Seymour, he didn't show up. He
was no show for a meeting with Erika Standford, the
Education Minister today about the school lunch program. Now, apparently
this was just because they were at caucus and caucus
runs over, so there's no big deal. But what is
a big deal, apparently is the school lunch program itself
in the eyes of some David Seymour was the Associate
Education Ministries with me Hi David get O Ryan. So

(00:23):
what is this stormin a teh up about the meeting
or did you show up not show up on purpose?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
No, Well, basically we had an agreement Tuesday Morning's a
difficult time because you have caucus and one thing about
being a Member of Parliament is caucus or sacrisanc. So
it goes on for as long as it needs to
for everyone to eat their views and discuss the business.
And I value it, especially because I had six years
where I was the only act MP and I just

(00:50):
wondered what it would be like to have a caucus.
So now I do we take it very seriously as
far as as far as the substantive issue. Happy to
talk about the lunch as.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Though, So there was no intention to skip the meeting.
It was just it was just caucus running over. Now.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
I think people will be surprised how often plans change.
It's it's a wild world here.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, yeah, no, fair enough, all right, okay, let's get
to the lunches. So the plastic and the cellophane in
the food, you know, the ones being late, those sort
of issues, not the quality issues, not the kids saying,
oh you know, I don't actually like butter chicken or whatever,
but those other issues, the contractual issues. Have you given
them a ra cup?

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah? I have spoken to the school lunch collective about
that and they've reported back to me what it is
that's happened. Specifically, we've had somebody at one of the
regional kitchens received the frozen meals as is the plan,
they put it in the oven. They put too long
at the wrong temperature, and that was the first mistake.

(01:53):
The second mistake is after they'd burnt them, they did
not to the correct quality control and they still sent
them out. So that is being dealt with and that
will one active management.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
That's the one off.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, and one off. One hundred and thirty seven thousand
hot meals a day. You know, a couple of million
over the last month. So we've put these things happened totally.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Okay, all right, can I just get some numbers off you?
So in terms of the delays, have we ironed that out?

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Now?

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Like what are we what's our percentage on time delivery?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Now? Well, yesterday Monday, the third of March ninety nine
percent on time delivery. The worst we had a month
ago in one city it was eleven percent. Now we're
getting some days, we're getting one hundred. Some days we're
getting ninety nine or ninety eight, so basically always on time.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
So timing issues sorted. What I mean, we will obviously
have these plastics in the thing that occasionally you will
have accidents happening. I'm sure that happened with the old
lunch system as well.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Look under the old lunch system, if I recall correctly,
there were seven different investigations by food Safety in New Zealand.
I mean, you know, these things.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Happened, all right, So what is left? That's that issue?
It's the quality of the meals and the wastage that's
going on. Do you have the stats yet on wastage
and how it compares to the old system.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
No, we don't have wasted statistics. I've asked to have
those and they say that they can be available by
the end of this week. Just bear in mind, I'm
more worried about them getting the system running than collecting statistics,
but I expect that we'll get those very soon. In
terms of you know, what is this statistics going to
say to us? I think that there will be some

(03:32):
issues with waste. There are some issues around quality, But
I say to people, look, you know, just airs we
solve the problem with on time delivery, we will also
save solve sorry, the issues around quality. And we're learning,
for example, which meals are more popular and which ones
are less popular. So that's all helpful.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
What does the wastage tell you, though? Does the wastes
tell you that you need to make the meals nicer
and more palatable, or does it tell you that the
kids aren't starving and don't need them and you should
reevaluate your program?

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well? You know, I mean, look, I campaigned heavily against
this program. However, I'm part of a government we are
all committed to continuing it, and one of life's great ironies,
I'm the guy responsible. My job is now to make
it the most efficient use of government money possible. I'm
absolutely hell bent on the run that we're solving problems,

(04:25):
were overcoming them, and I think we will be delivering
something that everyone's going to be very pleased with as
we iron out problem after problem. That's all you can do,
all right.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
David Seymour, the poster child for free school lunches, ironically
as he says for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive.
Listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.