SAMANTHA GEE/RNZ
An iwi provider of school lunches in the top of the South Island is withdrawing from the programme, because government funding no longer covers the costs.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua first began delivering lunches in 2021 and delivered 12,000 meals a day to children in eight schools across Whakatū and Wairau (Nelson and Marlborough) this year.
But pouwhakahaere (chief executive) Shane Graham said the numbers no longer stacked up, in terms of the funding offered and what they could provide.
He said for the past four years, the iwi had worked to provide fresh, locally grown food, prepared by local people, for schools throughout its rohe (region).
“It’s just a simple commercial imperative, you can’t be providing a service that costs you more than what you're getting in terms of funding.
“It’s uneconomical... We effectively become subsidisers for the government programme, which we can’t do.”
This year it has supplied lunches to Victory Primary School, Auckland Point School, Maitai School and Te Kura Kaupapa Tuia Te Matangi in Nelson and Spring Creek School, Mayfield School, Whitney Street School and Redwoodtown School in Blenheim.
It also previously provided lunches for Rai Valley Area School.
The lunches were produced in the Ngāti Rārua premises in Blenheim and at the Nelson Rugby Club rooms in Nelson.
Shane says when it first went for the contract, the Ministry of Education expressed concerns that the organisation would not be able to fulfil it as they were not a commercial provider and the iwi were not successful.
“We sort of took that as a bit of a challenge, the first year of the contract offering we weren't successful and then things turned around, we got different leadership in play and we were able to prove that we were able to do it because we have a long history of being able to provide kai and food for a lot of people.
“In this case, it has been hundreds of thousands of meals with little or no complaints. It's been a real privilege to be part of.”
In 2023, then-Education Minister Jan Tinetti said some of the best examples of the lunch programme were those led by iwi.
“There’s one in particular that really stands out for me, and that is Victory School in Nelson and the work that the iwi have done down there to lead that programme, and the difference that it has made to young people's attendance and engagement in that particular school,” she said at the time.
Shane says it had been a significant and empowering programme and he was very proud of the team who made it happen.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua’s contract to provide school lunches will finish at the end of the year and around seven jobs will be affected.
Shane says transitioning those staff into other areas was a key concern and priority for the iwi.
Ngāti Rārua were now looking to consolidate and consider other opportunities. Shane says it would not rule out a return to providing school lunches in the future.
He says the iwi wished the new providers success and said they had a big legacy to live up to.
“If they can provide that, good on them. If they can’t, then I think the schools and the community will be holding them to account on that.”
