Chris
HIPKINS
Acting Education Spokesperson

10 January 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT

Novopay Pledge Is Bunkum, Chaos Reigns

The Ministry of Education’s pledge to provide 'financial support' to schools who have had bank accounts emptied over the summer break courtesy of the shambles that is Novopay, will be cold comfort to the thousands of school staff forced to cut short their holidays to deal with the on-going mess, Labour's acting Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

"Schools around the country have been employing extra staff to deal with the Novopay fiasco, yet the Ministry of Education is still refusing to offer them any sort of compensation. That means money that should be going into educating kids is going into fixing up the Government's administrative bungles.

"The cost of overpayments made by Novopay is just one of a number of extra expenses these schools are facing. Just as important are the extra administrative costs created by the shambles, and the Government isn't offering any help with those.”

He is predicting more chaos when Novopay runs the first big pay cycle for 2013.

"Novopay can't even get it right over the holidays when there are no relief teachers and irregular payments. Imagine the bedlam when schools start trying to add new teachers, remove teachers who have moved on, and adjust hours and responsibilities.

"While Hekia Parata and Craig Foss continue to enjoy their extended summer break, thousands of Kiwis up and down the country have been left uncertain about whether they will be paid at all or - if they are lucky enough to be paid - whether they'll get the right pay.

"It's well past time for the Ministers to step in and fix this mess once and for all. Their 'hands-off' approach to running the country has allowed the debacle to spin out of control.

“If they're not up to the job of getting things back on track, John Key should replace them with people who are competent enough to do so.”

labour.org.nz

ENDS

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