David Farrar: The real Teaching Council scandal is all the crappy projects

The Public Service Commission has published a scathing report into how the Teaching Council managed conflicts and procured work with a firm part owned by the CEOs husband. They note:

It found serious and repeated failures in the Teaching Council’s procurement and conflict of interest processes between late 2018 and early 2025. These failures were not matters of minor or technical non‑compliance – they reflected poor oversight and immature organisational controls, particularly in relation to conflict management.

I’ve just read the report and what I think is equally note-worthy is how almost all the contracts were for projects that were far from core work for the Council – teacher registration etc. Even if the projects had been procured better, they were still just a massive costs that teachers were being levied to fund. They include:

• $400,000 on “unteaching racism”
• $600,000 on raising awareness and a stakeholder engagement plan
• $500,000 on digital engagement

I am sure the Medical Council doesn’t need to spend $500,000 on digital engagement. You’re a regulatory body, not a social media agency.

Spending $600,000 on a stakeholder engagement plan is just an excuse to fund contractors. A decent mid level comms staffer should be able to put together a stakeholder engagement plan in a week or so.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders