New Zealand Principals' Federation
Media Release December 17 2012 – for immediate release
Novopay Getting Worse
The latest survey of school principals shows that rather than making steady improvements each pay cycle, the Novopay pay
roll system is actually getting worse.
‘Our latest of five surveys represents over 900 schools,’ said Paul Drummond President of the New Zealand Principals’
Federation (NZPF). ‘The most disturbing finding is that things are getting worse not better,’ he said.
Staffing, usage and expenditure (SUE) reports were correct for wages and salaries for 36% of schools last month but now
only 16% report accuracy.
For holiday pay a staggering 90.1% reported that their SUE reports were incorrect.
In the latest survey 83.9% reported that at least one staff member was paid incorrectly whilst in November that figure
was 59.6%.
Unresolved problems from previous pay rounds have also increased from 83.3% to 84.5%.
‘By this stage we would expect to be seeing substantial improvements in the performance of Novopay,’ said Drummond, ‘but
instead, every pay cycle throws up new problems and unresolved issues remain unresolved.’
It is no wonder that schools’ confidence in the system has dropped to the point that 97% have no confidence that Novopay
will deliver an efficient or supported pay roll system by the end of next year.
‘Principals have no confidence that this ‘slow train wreck’ called Novopay will be fixed any time soon,’ said Drummond.
‘Talent2 and the Ministry must face the facts. The system is fundamentally flawed. It’s time to go back to the future,
reinstate designated pay roll support staff for each school, while expert technicians are brought in to work on what is
currently a ‘derailed system’, ’ he said.
ENDS