Erica Stanford corrects written answer as questions mount over $2m curriculum deal
Thursday, 25 June 2026
Education Minister Erica Stanford has corrected a written Parliamentary question more than six months after it was lodged, as she faces pressure over a contract awarded to an Australian firm without an open tender.
The corrected answer shows Ministry of Education officials were flown to Australia specifically to meet Learning First, the firm later awarded a $2 million contract to help “source content” for the new curriculum.
Stanford blamed the ministry, saying the omission was an administrative error identified when responding to a subsequent Offical Information Act (OIA) request and she was made aware of the trip last Friday.
Labour has pressed Stanford on the issue throughout the week after it emerged the Ministry did not follow usual procurement processes, allowing only one bidder, and excluding local firms that say they could have done the work.
On Wednesday Labour MP Ginny Andersen called on Stanford to explain “if a coffee on the Gold Coast is all it takes to be awarded a multimillion-dollar contract,” after correspondence released under the OIA showedshe met Learning First founder Ben Jensen nine months before the contract was signed.
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Stanford responded that the coffee was a pull-aside meeting she had at an Australian conference and it had no bearing on the awarding of any contract.
The written question, lodged by Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime in December last year, asked whether any education officials had travelled overseas for work related to the curriculum rewrite, and what the cost was if they did.
The original answer detailed three ministry officials travelling to New South Wales in September last year to meet with the New South Wales Department of Education to undertake comparative analysis on curriculum development processes and approaches.
The now-corrected answer reveals officials were flown to Melbourne across July and August to work with Learning First, with the contract signed in August last year.
The total cost of flights, accommodation, and taxis for the Melbourne trip was $5393.69, excluding GST, while the New South Wales trip cost $6326.38.
Andersen said Stanford needed to “front up”.
“After more than six months since we asked, why only now after sustained questioning is she suddenly correcting the facts?
“Too much is still unknown about Erica Stanford’s dealings with these foreign consultants and our children’s curriculum . We need answers now.”
Andersen also questioned why taxpayers were paying for overseas trips to meet Australian consultants, when Kiwi providers said they could do the same job back home.
Education Ministry deputy secretary Pauline Cleaver told MPs last week that Learning First helped “source content” for the curriculum and New Zealand firms were excluded because the ministry was already working with Learning First.
Cleaver said in a statement to The Post the ministry had engaged with a range of sector experts and organisations as part of programme development, including Learning First.
“This engagement involved early discussions and input alongside wider engagement with sector and international experts and was not specific to any future procurement. It did not involve contracted work or deliverables.”