Act is calling for the terms of a deal that gives University of Auckland naming rights for Eden Park’s North Stand to be disclosed to the public. 

On Friday, Eden Park would not confirm whether the university was making a financial commitment as part of the agreement. A spokesperson for Eden Park told ZB Plus that the terms of the partnership agreement "are commercial and in confidence". 

Last year, the government announced a $128 million injection into tertiary institutions reportedly in the hope of staving off hundreds of threatened job losses and programmes being slashed. 

The University of Auckland got the largest boost at $14.5m this year and the same again next year.  

Today, Act Party spokesperson for tertiary education and skills, Parmjeet Parmar told ZB Plus the spending should be disclosed.  

“Taxpayers deserve to know how much government support is being funnelled into branding exercises versus the delivery of education that will prepare young New Zealanders for the workforce. 

"And we need assurance that any marketing spend has been targeted in a way that maximises returns, for example by attracting international students who pay full fees. Does naming a stand in a local stadium achieve this? How often, for example, will the stand be mentioned in international broadcasts?" 

"These are questions Act would like to see answered," said Parmar. 

The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union (NZTU) joined the call for transparency.   

"At the same time as running to the taxpayer begging for millions of dollars in handouts, the University of Auckland seems to be splashing cash on fluffing its own ego,” a spokesperson said.  

"No university needs to be wasting money on stadium naming rights, especially not one battling low enrolments, falling revenue and spiralling debt. 

"The lack of respect for staff facing job cuts shown by this vanity project is staggering. But it’s not nearly as shocking as the refusal to face up to the public over how much of the money they paid to prop up the university is being wasted on sports-washing PR. 

"This lack of transparency simply doesn’t cut the mustard, and university leadership need to front up to taxpayers. Every time hardworking Kiwis’ tax dollars are wasted, the public have a right to know.” 

A spokesperson for the Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds, told ZB Plus, the university made its own operational decisions. 

"The University of Auckland is an autonomous entity, and this is an operational matter for them to make decisions on. It isn't a matter for the minister to be involved in." 

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater said: "As two iconic New Zealand institutions, the University of Auckland and Eden Park are committed to working together to contribute to whanaungatanga and the community we are both part of". 

"Our strategic plan expresses our desire to deepen our relationship with the diverse communities of the region, as well as undertaking research for the good of these communities. 

"By establishing the University of Auckland as Eden Park’s exclusive education and research partner, we hope to further these commitments while also bolstering our community outreach and international reach and significance. 

"Together, we will collaborate to create opportunities for educational exchanges, joint research, work integrated learning and internship experiences, venue-related professional development experiences, and aligned community and cultural initiatives that benefit the community we proudly serve." 

The stadium’s North Stand will become the University of Auckland North Stand under the agreement. 

Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner said he was delighted to welcome the university to the park’s family of Icon Partners and the naming rights sponsor of the North Stand. 

"At the core of this three-year partnership is a shared ambition to ensure Auckland is a great place to live, work and play. 

"The University of Auckland is a global leader in education, and we’re thrilled to be working with them to facilitate a range of innovative initiatives and programmes focused on education, work experience, research, and professional development that will inspire our future generations. 

A spokesperson for Eden Park told ZB Plus, "By merging our respective knowledge and skills, various opportunities will be created in our respective organisations through education and research. The university has a number of exciting projects that align with Eden Park's strategic priorities." 

"The adaptive reuse adopted in the B201 building is world-leading and the only 6-star building in New Zealand. We look forward to harnessing this methodology as we embark on Eden Park 2.1 planning. Furthermore, the University of Auckland’s sports and recreation facilities will be world-class and assist local and international teams through research." 

"We look forward to developing industry-specific content and harnessing leadership in stadium economics and operations. For example, last week, Melbourne University hosted Swiftposium, a hybrid-academic conference organised by scholars from six universities across Australia and New Zealand." 

"Attracting more than 400 submissions, spanning 60 academic disciplines from 78 academic institutions worldwide, the conference facilitated critical dialogue about the influence Taylor Swift has had on the intersection of music, economics, business, media studies, health and societal and cultural impact," the spokesperson said.