Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
MP for Maungakiekie

24 November 2009
Media Statement

Free fruit for schools continues

Maungakiekie MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is delighted that six schools in the electorate will continue to receive Government funding for fruit for their students.

“When introduced, the previous government said Fruit in Schools funding would be for three years, and after that schools would need to source the fruit themselves. Schools agreed to that,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“For many schools nationwide that three years was up in June this year, but National agreed to roll the funding over for an extra six months pending a review.

"One of the issues being reviewed was the administration costs of the programme. Last year Fruit in Schools cost $12 million, with just over half of that actually spent on fruit.

“Now the review is complete and we've decided to keep the Fruit in Schools programme.

“This is great news for the participating schools in our electorate.”

Fruit in Schools will become part of the Health Promoting Schools programme run by DHBs, and this will save more than $4 million a year, which will be spent on other health services.

The other components of Health Promoting Schools are encouraging school children to be sun smart, smoke free and physically active.

Participating schools in Maungakiekie are:
Panmure Bridge School
Ruapotaka School
Sylvia Park School
Tamaki Intermediate
Tamaki School
Te Papapa School

ENDS