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Students at an Auckland school have been dragged into a
political scrap.
John Key claims the government has bullied staff at Wesley Primary
amid a dispute over what he calls New Zealand's "underclass".
The school is in the same suburb as McGehan Close, the Auckland street labelled a dead end by Key.
The National Party leader is claiming the school has been forced into rejecting his party's offer of food for hungry kids in conjunction with Tasti Products.
The company agreed to work with the party to supply breakfast and lunch to kids who arrive at the school hungry.
"They're heavying the school there's no question of that in my mind," Key says.
Education Minister Steve Maharey denies that is the case and says Principal Rae Parkin has made that clear.
"They don't want that kind of assistance that's been offered, as the principal said 'don't want it, don't need it, therefore they reject the offer'," Maharey says.
In a written statement Parkin says any initiatives that support the children will be developed in consultation with staff, the Board of Trustees and the community.
But Key says the school initially welcomed the move and has since said it did not request nor does it want the handouts. He suspects it has been bullied.
He says the principal told him at the weekend the school is in need, and he is accusing Labour of bullying her.
"This Labour government has been using standover and bulling tactics. They are making the school backtrack from its position, and frankly using pupils as political pawns."
Key says food for hungry kids programme will continue with poor schools which need help.
According to the New Zealand Herald, charity organisation KidsCan says experience and recent research suggests more than 10% of New Zealand's 125,000 primary aged children are malnourished. It estimates that up to 15,000 kids each day arrive at school hungry.
However Prime Minister Helen Clark is debating that figure and Key's claims.
"There's not a shred of truth in that, the point is Mr Key has blustered about a school he knows very little about."
She says there will undoubtedly be some children from low income families requiring some help with food at school and says she has spent the last seven years trying to reverse some of the problems.
