February 22, 2020 3:00pm by David Farrar

Another victory for taxpayers

After pressure from the Taxpayers’ Union, Education Minister Chris Hipkins has now confirmed he will close Tuturumuri School – a taxpayer-funded school with a roll of zero.Last week, the Taxpayers’ Union visited Tuturumuri and made inquiries with the Minister’s office. As of Friday, Minister Hipkins was still considering the matter. Then yesterday, just hours after the Union publicised the story, the Minister confirmed to media that he is closing the school. He apparently told staff earlier in the day.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “This decision is a belated victory for taxpayers and common sense. The Minister has spared himself serious embarrassment by getting this matter sorted just days after we started asking questions.”

Yep the school had zero students but four staff! If it were not for NZTU pressure, the school may have remained “open” for many more months.