Cecile Meier
@cecilemeier.bsky.social
Freelance journalist. Swiss, French, Kiwi.
Reposted by Cecile Meier
📢 The Auditor General will conduct an inquiry into the Ministry of Education's school lunch programme. It will cover planning, procurement, and contract...
Auditor General launches investigation into school lunch programme
businessdesk.co.nz
May 6, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Had a blast (and went right outside of my comfort zone) working on this video about school lunches and the multinational business at the heart of it all with Garth Bray. No paywall on this one!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Huov...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Huov...
BusinessDesk investigates Compass Group
YouTube video by nzherald.co.nz
www.youtube.com
April 6, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Had a blast (and went right outside of my comfort zone) working on this video about school lunches and the multinational business at the heart of it all with Garth Bray. No paywall on this one!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Huov...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Huov...
Good question. Not been able to get an answer so far though.
Did Compass withhold payments from Libelle before buying it?
What school lunch provider Libelle's biggest problem was
Libelle went into liquidation last week owing nearly 250 creditors money.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 19, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Good question. Not been able to get an answer so far though.
Securing the revamped school-lunch contract was “critical for the viability of Libelle”, and could push the company to make “commitments they are unable to deliver on”, officials warned last year. 1/4
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
Officials warned Libelle could fail to deliver cut-price school-lunch contract
Securing the revamped school-lunch contract was “critical for the viability of Libelle”, and could push the company to make “commitments they...
businessdesk.co.nz
March 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Securing the revamped school-lunch contract was “critical for the viability of Libelle”, and could push the company to make “commitments they are unable to deliver on”, officials warned last year. 1/4
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Would an anti-"woke" banking law change how banks lend when it comes to heavy emitters and climate risk?
- audio from Morning Report today embedded with the web story here -
www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...
- audio from Morning Report today embedded with the web story here -
www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...
Would an anti-woke banking law change how banks lend?
NZ First's Bill promising to stop "woke ideology" in banking wouldn't stop banks considering climate risks, experts say.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Would an anti-"woke" banking law change how banks lend when it comes to heavy emitters and climate risk?
- audio from Morning Report today embedded with the web story here -
www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...
- audio from Morning Report today embedded with the web story here -
www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Remembering the lives lost, the injuries, all those who suffered the trauma of the Ōtautahi mosque massacres.
March 14, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Remembering the lives lost, the injuries, all those who suffered the trauma of the Ōtautahi mosque massacres.
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Whoever did this website - good work. www.seymourslop.nz
Frozen food to a school w/o heating facilities today was more brilliant public-private market work from the libertarian party.
Last week they were burning kid's skin off, sending them to ED.
This week, it's stone cold and frozen.
#nzpol
Frozen food to a school w/o heating facilities today was more brilliant public-private market work from the libertarian party.
Last week they were burning kid's skin off, sending them to ED.
This week, it's stone cold and frozen.
#nzpol
March 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Whoever did this website - good work. www.seymourslop.nz
Frozen food to a school w/o heating facilities today was more brilliant public-private market work from the libertarian party.
Last week they were burning kid's skin off, sending them to ED.
This week, it's stone cold and frozen.
#nzpol
Frozen food to a school w/o heating facilities today was more brilliant public-private market work from the libertarian party.
Last week they were burning kid's skin off, sending them to ED.
This week, it's stone cold and frozen.
#nzpol
Reposted by Cecile Meier
ACC staff are not happy, which is why more tips keep coming in. That right there should be indicative to management of serious problems. Here’s a wrap of where things are at after three weeks of reporting these issues.
Three weeks of ugly headlines and ACC's leadership crisis just got worse
Drunken inappropriateness, ‘physical contact’, a shirtless video call, conflict of interest concerns. What are ACC execs up to?
www.stuff.co.nz
March 14, 2025 at 5:43 PM
ACC staff are not happy, which is why more tips keep coming in. That right there should be indicative to management of serious problems. Here’s a wrap of where things are at after three weeks of reporting these issues.
The Compass Group has bought Libelle’s school lunch operations under a conditional sale. Will be interesting to explore the role the school lunch contract has played in Libelle’s demise.
March 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The Compass Group has bought Libelle’s school lunch operations under a conditional sale. Will be interesting to explore the role the school lunch contract has played in Libelle’s demise.
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Loss of Libelle leads to drop in quality, schools to close canteens with short notice www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Loss of Libelle leads to drop in quality, schools to close canteens with short notice
Libelle, which provides about 125,000 meals a day for the government's revamped school lunch programme, went bust on Tuesday.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 14, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Loss of Libelle leads to drop in quality, schools to close canteens with short notice www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
"Maybe this is a short-term fix," he said, adding that Seymour was "fully accountable" for the programme's delivery.
"He's working hard at it, so let him close it out."
"He's working hard at it, so let him close it out."
Frozen pizza rolls are the latest school lunch blunder
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the idea that the programme had "given up" on Kiwi suppliers altogether and flown the lunches in from Australia was "frankly ridiculous".
www.1news.co.nz
March 14, 2025 at 6:39 AM
"Maybe this is a short-term fix," he said, adding that Seymour was "fully accountable" for the programme's delivery.
"He's working hard at it, so let him close it out."
"He's working hard at it, so let him close it out."
Reposted by Cecile Meier
“The child opened a meal yesterday & a couple of flies came out...it looked disgusting...We don’t know where the flies are from. Some schools have meals coming from Australia - what if something gets through?”
open.substack.com/pub/emilywri...
open.substack.com/pub/emilywri...
MPI confirms complaint of flies in school lunches
"It was revolting"
open.substack.com
March 14, 2025 at 5:27 AM
“The child opened a meal yesterday & a couple of flies came out...it looked disgusting...We don’t know where the flies are from. Some schools have meals coming from Australia - what if something gets through?”
open.substack.com/pub/emilywri...
open.substack.com/pub/emilywri...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
some great reporting from @cecilemeier.bsky.social on the school lunch procurement process, and how the school lunch collective got chosen in the first place -- one that paints the more interesting story imo
Serious questions about the procurement process that awarded the revamped school lunch programme to Compass and Libelle need to be answered.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
March 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
some great reporting from @cecilemeier.bsky.social on the school lunch procurement process, and how the school lunch collective got chosen in the first place -- one that paints the more interesting story imo
How can this make sense financially? Not to mention all the local jobs that were lost in the shift to Compass.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
School lunch provider turns to Australia for help
With its main food manufacturer, Libelle, in liquidation, the School Lunch Collective has turned to Australia to ensure it had enough meals.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 12, 2025 at 5:09 AM
How can this make sense financially? Not to mention all the local jobs that were lost in the shift to Compass.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
My school uses Subway & Pita Pit for (parent-bought) school lunches, and it’s pretty expensive. Don’t get much for $10. Still MUCH nicer than the Compass meals, and would probably be cheaper if done en masse.
March 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM
My school uses Subway & Pita Pit for (parent-bought) school lunches, and it’s pretty expensive. Don’t get much for $10. Still MUCH nicer than the Compass meals, and would probably be cheaper if done en masse.
Serious questions about the procurement process that awarded the revamped school lunch programme to Compass and Libelle need to be answered.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
March 11, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Serious questions about the procurement process that awarded the revamped school lunch programme to Compass and Libelle need to be answered.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
Today, we reveal:
- Pita Pit and Subway were jointly the runner up for the revamped school lunch contract last year but would not do it for less than $4.
Libelle has gone into liquidation.
The company is making most of the meals distributed by the School Lunch Collective.
It will be a challenge for Compass to find an alternative caterer able and willing to provide about 125,000 lunches daily for $3. More to come.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/reta...
The company is making most of the meals distributed by the School Lunch Collective.
It will be a challenge for Compass to find an alternative caterer able and willing to provide about 125,000 lunches daily for $3. More to come.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/reta...
School lunch provider Libelle Group tipped into liquidation
Liquidators have been appointed to school lunch provider Libelle Group by the shareholders of the company. On Tuesday morning, Robert Campbell and David We...
businessdesk.co.nz
March 10, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Libelle has gone into liquidation.
The company is making most of the meals distributed by the School Lunch Collective.
It will be a challenge for Compass to find an alternative caterer able and willing to provide about 125,000 lunches daily for $3. More to come.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/reta...
The company is making most of the meals distributed by the School Lunch Collective.
It will be a challenge for Compass to find an alternative caterer able and willing to provide about 125,000 lunches daily for $3. More to come.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/reta...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
None of this will be news to most of you, but I think it would surprise the average person how immediate the implications of climate change are for house prices
Audio from this morning 📻 here - >
Insurers look to price in climate change with individual risk ratings www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Audio from this morning 📻 here - >
Insurers look to price in climate change with individual risk ratings www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Insurers look to price in climate change with individual risk ratings
If you're lucky enough to own a house, it's probably your biggest financial asset. But the value of many properties is at risk as insurers move to price in climate change with individual risk ratings....
www.rnz.co.nz
March 10, 2025 at 8:05 PM
None of this will be news to most of you, but I think it would surprise the average person how immediate the implications of climate change are for house prices
Audio from this morning 📻 here - >
Insurers look to price in climate change with individual risk ratings www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Audio from this morning 📻 here - >
Insurers look to price in climate change with individual risk ratings www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Puzzling that Compass - a global catering giant - needs to be told by MOE that you can't heat plastic-clad meals in a commercial oven. Also puzzling that it took MOE about 2 weeks to tell them to stop doing that despite multiple media reports on this very issue. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
School lunch that burnt student wrongly reheated - Ministry of Education
A Bay of Plenty deputy principal said their school lunches are so hot when they arrive that staff have to wear rubber gardening gloves to handle them.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 7, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Puzzling that Compass - a global catering giant - needs to be told by MOE that you can't heat plastic-clad meals in a commercial oven. Also puzzling that it took MOE about 2 weeks to tell them to stop doing that despite multiple media reports on this very issue. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Good to see the Ministry of Education and David Seymour taking this seriously. MPI has been investigating the School Lunch Collective for a range of food safety issues, incl. meals arriving too hot - it feels like this incident could have been prevented:
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
‘Enough is enough’: Student taken to hospital after being burnt by hot school lunch
The principal of the Gisborne school said the lunch packaging broke, and the hot contents “splattered everywhere” onto the student’s leg.
www.stuff.co.nz
March 6, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Good to see the Ministry of Education and David Seymour taking this seriously. MPI has been investigating the School Lunch Collective for a range of food safety issues, incl. meals arriving too hot - it feels like this incident could have been prevented:
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Why, just why, what utter stupidity - this is not how we protect our precious tamariki.
‘Helpless’ mum told toddler must continue visits with dad after sex abuse claim
The child has twice claimed her father has touched her inappropriately on the visits.
www.nzherald.co.nz
March 5, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Why, just why, what utter stupidity - this is not how we protect our precious tamariki.
Bit of a theme going on
A top government minister personally added a fossil fuel lobbyist to the shortlist of candidates to help govern the country's main energy-saving agency.
Simeon Brown then overrode official advice to appoint the lobbyist to the role.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...
Simeon Brown then overrode official advice to appoint the lobbyist to the role.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/environ...
Simeon Brown appointed prominent oil and gas lobbyist to energy savings board against official advice
A top government minister personally added a fossil fuel lobbyist to the shortlist of candidates to help govern the country's main energy-saving agency.
www.rnz.co.nz
March 5, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Bit of a theme going on
Government officials raised concerns about Compass and Libelle after hearing the companies were shortlisted to provide the revamped school lunch programme last year.
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/off...
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/off...
Officials raised concerns ahead of school lunch contract award
A litany of performance issues for Compass and Libelle was raised.
www.nzherald.co.nz
March 5, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Government officials raised concerns about Compass and Libelle after hearing the companies were shortlisted to provide the revamped school lunch programme last year.
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/off...
www.nzherald.co.nz/business/off...
Reposted by Cecile Meier
Guess who's going to do a war crimes reporting masterclass at Nerd Disneyland in NYC? Thanks, BGI!
February 14, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Guess who's going to do a war crimes reporting masterclass at Nerd Disneyland in NYC? Thanks, BGI!