Parents Outraged as Students Served Mouldy Meals at Christchurch School

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has criticized the principal of Haeata Community Campus in Christchurch following an incident where students were served mouldy meals as part of the government’s free school lunches programme. Parents expressed their outrage after children consumed contaminated food on March 4, 2024.

The School Lunch Collective, which oversees the programme and includes the Compass Group as a provider, is currently investigating the food quality issue. Reports indicate that students at the school, which caters to children from Years 1 to 13, were served mouldy minced meat. A teacher identified the problem after the meals had already been distributed to students.

Parent Kalah Balir shared her concerns, stating that her 12-year-old daughter had already eaten half of the meal before noticing it was spoiled. “She said I was hungry, so I got through half of it, and it was yuck, so I threw it away,” Balir recounted. She expressed her frustration, stating, “I’m angry, I’m disgusted. It’s just sick that this was served to children. It’s dangerous.”

Balir emphasized that she does not blame the school for the incident, as they acted swiftly once they were made aware of the issue. “The government just needs to do better; our kids do not deserve this,” she added.

Another parent, Rebecca McKenzie, echoed similar sentiments, explaining that her daughter also found the meal unpalatable. “I was annoyed, disgusted, and disappointed that this could happen to our kids,” McKenzie remarked. She highlighted the reliance many families have on school lunches, especially given the rising costs of living. “To have this happen is like a kick in the teeth,” she said.

Both parents noted that their children did not experience any immediate illness after consuming the meal, but they are monitoring for symptoms of food poisoning.

In response to the incident, Seymour characterized the principal as a “frequent flyer in the media,” pointing out that she has previously aired grievances regarding various government policies. He suggested that the situation may have occurred due to lunches from a previous day being inadvertently served to students, although he noted that the exact cause remains unclear.

Seymour reassured parents that no illnesses had been reported as a result of the incident, at least to his knowledge. He confirmed that testing is underway to determine how the food quality issue occurred.

Earlier this year, the principal sought to terminate the contract with the Compass Group due to ongoing service issues but was denied by the government. The Compass Group is notably absent from a list of providers selected to offer school lunches in 2026.

As investigations continue, parents are left questioning the safety and reliability of the government-funded school lunch programme. Many are calling for urgent improvements to ensure that such incidents do not recur, emphasizing the importance of providing safe and nutritious meals to children.