Chris Lynch: Haeata school named in audit concerns over $18,500 leadership team trip to Queenstown

A Christchurch school has been named in a national audit that has uncovered concerns about how public money was spent in schools, including cases where principals used funding tagged for coaching and wellbeing on overseas trips, family travel, tourist activities, and premium flights.

Bryce Wilkinson: Three cheers for the auditor-general

The Auditor-General is deeply concerned “about a lack of transparency and accountability over the spending of public money”.

On 14 November, he took the extraordinary step of writing to Parliament's Speaker, Adrian Rurawhe and the chairs of two select committees about the problem.

His letter warned that “the links between spending of public money and the difference being made through that spending are too often tenuous, lack transparency, and are focused on the short term.”