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More than 100 principals caught using government money on personal items

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 9 Dec 2025, 6:45pm
Education Minister Erica Stanford will field questions from Rangitoto College. Photo / Alyse Wright
Education Minister Erica Stanford will field questions from Rangitoto College. Photo / Alyse Wright

More than 100 principals caught using government money on personal items

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 9 Dec 2025, 6:45pm

The Auditor-General has released its annual report on questionable spending by schools - and some stand out more than the rest. 

Sutton Park School spent $11,000 on a staff planning meeting at Sky City, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mangere spent $22,000 on a boat cruise, and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga spent $6,000 on a trip to Turkey for the principal with 'No clear business purpose.'

The Ministry of Education says that over 2400 schools were audited and only a handful were 'commented on' by the auditor-general. 

Education Minister Erica Stanford blamed the previous government, saying that, 'It wasn't particularly fit for purpose and it didn't have good guard rails to prevent exactly what's happened.'

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