ACT says it wants to end "wasteful policies" like free school lunches, but National says it supports the scheme, saying it's a "good programme".
It comes as Labour leader Chris Hipkins visited Arakura School in Wainuiomata this morning, one of the schools providing lunches — and breakfasts — to its students.
Principal Seletute Mila told Hipkins the scheme had brought the community together.
"For us the lunches programme is more than just providing food — which is important for our whānau. There's so many other things that we can teach alongside it.
"So thank you, thank you for the free lunches programme, it's really making a difference."
She said the next step was to cultivate a school garden, where children would learn to grow food. The garden would also help provide food for the school lunches.
"It's one of our asks that that programme really be a commitment for the long term, because our whānau need it.
"Please invest in the lunches programme because 12 months is not a good enough commitment. We want to see that as a long-term commitment for our community."
She said the school had tried external providers but found an internal system worked better and had far less wastage.
One of the school's cooks, Trish, said the system worked for the families who were struggling.
"Parents can now just worry about dinner times."
Another cook, Carol, said it also provided an opportunity for children to learn table manners, conversation and other social skills.
"I've heard a lot of talk in the media about [school lunches] wastage. We have very little wastage because me and Trish are seeing what the children are eating and we can adjust that to meet their needs."
Hipkins said it was "pretty awesome" to see free lunches in schools go from an idea to 220,000 kids every day getting a free lunch at school.
One teacher made a plea to Hipkins to be "in it" — employing Labour's campaign slogan — "for the most vulnerable tamariki in our society".
"Many of them are in the room here today," she said.
National leader Christopher Luxon was later asked whether a National-led government would keep the free lunches in schools programme.
He said it was a "good programme".
"We continue to support it."
He said a government under his leadership would make sure it was "more efficient and more effective in terms of its delivery and getting it so there's less wastage and more appealing food".
"It will continue to improve each and every year under a National government."
But ACT leader David Seymour responded to Luxon's comments saying a "fiscally-responsible government" would need to end "wasteful policies" like free school lunches for kids.
He said another example was Fees-Free tertiary study.
“A recent report showed the 'free' school lunch programme was wasting $25 million worth of lunches per year.
"Treasury found that up to 10,000 'free' school lunches are wasted each day. The cost of the programme in 2021 was $211 million, meaning up to $25m was wasted on surplus lunches.
"Treasury also found no evidence the programme was improving attendance or benefiting Māori, who make up half students in the programme".
He said the programmes were unaffordable as New Zealand was "headed for a massive fiscal crunch".
"The fiscal situation is only going to get worse, and the next government will need to take seriously its responsibility to get the books back in shape," Seymour said.
"The next government must have the courage to reverse Labour's policies rather than let them stack up like lasagne."
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