Chris
HIPKINS
Education Spokesperson
20 September 2015 MEDIA STATEMENT
Novopay fiasco still isn’t over
News that the Ministry of Education is considering debt collectors to recover millions of dollars in Novopay
overpayments shows that after three years the problems aren't fixed, says Labour's Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins.
"Novopay has been a fiasco from day one. It never should've been given the go ahead and three years later school staff
and teachers continue to suffer the consequences of that botched decision.
"Steven Joyce was sent in to fix the problems, yet many teachers and school staff still can't get accurate information
about what they've been paid, how much they owe or are owed, and how much leave they have accrued.
"Nobody I've spoken to thinks people who owe money should keep it forever, but in many cases who owes who and how much
is hotly contested.
"Some of the people overpaid in one pay were underpaid in another. The whole thing has been a shambles.
"In other cases people were completely unaware they had been overpaid and spent the money in good faith. They never
should've been put in that position.
"Despite all the smooth talk from Steven Joyce, schools still suffer under Novopay on a weekly basis. When it comes to
fixing the mess, Joyce gets an 'N' for not achieved," says Chris Hipkins.