Katherine Rich MP
National Party Education Spokeswoman

6 June 2007

Employee sells NZQA computers on Trade Me?

NZQA has launched an investigation into serious allegations that a staff member has been selling approximately 30 ex-NZQA computers on Trade Me, says National's Education spokeswoman Katherine Rich.

"The Authority may have a legitimate explanation for selling machines marked 'Property of NZQA' online, but reports of cash payments and despatches from an employee's home, don't sound like proper process to me.

"If these allegations are correct this is contrary to Government policy for the disposal of property plus an embarrassing faux pas for NZQA.

"All Government organisations are encouraged to donate used computers to the Computer Access New Zealand Trust (CANZ), which refurbishes machines to give to New Zealand schools.

"Many of our schools rely heavily on sourcing machines from the Trust for our nation's classrooms.

"If NZQA doesn't see the importance of supporting computers in schools through CANZ and allows an employee to flick machines off privately, it's a bad look for the Authority.

"The Minister must explain what progress has been made with the internal investigation so far and assure taxpayers that NZQA staff are not profiteering from the disposal of government property.

"The Minister also needs to explain why NZQA, given its role in the education sector, is not ensuring its PCs are recycled for the betterment of students' learning through CANZ or other recyclers that work with New Zealand schools.

ENDS

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