May 08, 2024
Short termism doesn’t work when investing in a child’s future – school lunch programme
Short termism doesn’t work when investing in a child’s future – school lunch programme
Matthew Tukaki
It’s all very good for Government Ministers such as David Seymour to use one liners like“ forget quinoa, couscous, and hummus, it will be more like sandwiches and fruit.” – because they may have played well in Opposition but in Government you need to stop the rhetoric and do things. If I was to be more brutal I’d ask the question “out of the tens of thousands of school lunches how many contain those three ingredients? Or is it proof positive that Seymour is more interested in the glib one liners – lets face facts we have to stop dealing in short termism. It’s only been a few years since the school lunch program cam into being but if you believe the Government the taxpayer is getting duded. First a reminder, low-income workers and families are also taxpayers – but if you believe the glib you might be forgiven for thinking only the middle class or rich people are. Secondly let’s blow the myth that middle class and kids from perceived rich families don’t go to school with empty stomachs – they do. Have you seen the debt some of their parents are carrying? Have we forgotten the many families living their lives on credit? They aren’t all people from poorer suburbs and low-income families. Another fact the current program now covers hundreds of thousands of children.
But don’t look here look over there at the last lot that didn’t fully fund it or let’s distract everyone by announcing a little more money for more of those poor kids to be included – cheers for that.
This begs the other question as to whether or not this was National stepping in to stop Seymour wanting to cut more out of the programme and therefore just how much together is the coalition.
Coming back to the point on short termism. Often it takes time for policies to take hold and evidence to emerge its kind of like the returns calculated for growth of your superannuation fund. That’s why we invest.
Matthew Tukaki is Chairman of the National Māori Authority and General Manager UMA Broadcasting Ltd, Ngāi Te Rangi
Radio Waatea and its board would like to advise that the opinions expressed in this article are those of Matthew Tukaki and not necessarily the views of Radio Waatea, its Management or its Board.