School Lunch Program in Crisis | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 30, 2026 · 2m

The Ministry of Education’s school lunch program is in crisis after an auditor-general’s report exposed major failures in rollout and management. Once a major supplier, Trust House, now serves just fifteen lunches daily, blaming ignored warnings about flawed procurement. Auditors were present but failed to catch critical issues, while suppliers claim they were misled about contract renewals and unfairly excluded from bidding. The ministry extended contracts without competition, creating unmanaged risks. A push for ultra-low-cost meals—$3 per child—has been widely criticized as unsustainable…