New Zealand Government Criticized for Lack of Halal School Lunches

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The New Zealand government is facing accusations of racism and “othering” the Muslim community after failing to provide halal-certified school lunches.

An RNZ investigation revealed that Compass, a major school lunch provider, has been delivering meals labeled as “halal-friendly” rather than fully halal-certified. While the company uses halal-certified chicken and beef, its preparation facilities lack halal certification, raising concerns about compliance with Islamic dietary laws.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour defended the decision, stating that full halal certification would impose unjustifiable costs.

“To go fully halal-certified would require significant expenses for separate preparation facilities, packaging, and distribution. I don’t believe that expense would be justified,” Seymour said.

However, Abdur Razaaq Khan, President of the Federation of Islamic Associations, dismissed Seymour’s reasoning as unfounded.

“The Minister just has to pick up the phone and talk to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He hasn’t done his homework, he’s just relying on laziness,” Khan argued.

He emphasized that many certified halal kitchens successfully prepare both halal and non-halal food within the same facility using shared equipment, following proper cleaning protocols. Khan also suggested that halal certification for school meals could even be provided free of charge.

“This is about a Minister trying to cover himself while “othering” a community. After March 15 [the Christchurch attacks], I thought those days were over,” he said.

Khan also claimed that some Muslim students had been served ham sandwiches in meals supposedly labeled as halal.

“What message are we sending? Some kids are fine because they’re ‘like us,’ while others have to take it or leave it. Is that the kind of New Zealand we want?”

The issue has sparked outrage among educators, including Pauline Cornwall, principal of Papatoetoe Intermediate School, which has about 200 Muslim students.

“When a provider says they offer halal meals, we expect them to be fully certified,” she said.

Cornwall criticized both the Ministry of Education and Compass, stating they were fully aware of the school’s dietary needs yet failed to meet them. Under the previous government, schools had more freedom to choose their own lunch providers, allowing them to ensure halal certification.

Now, with Compass as the sole provider, many Muslim students are opting out of school lunches.

“We’ve given students the option to switch to vegetarian meals or withdraw from the program. So far, 50 families have continued, but now that the issue is public, I expect that number to dwindle,” Cornwall said.

She warned that the lack of halal certification means Muslim students will be unfairly excluded from the free lunch program.

“If this were happening to any other community denying something fundamental to their beliefs and culture we’d call it racism.”

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