PHOTO: The 1920s weatherboard property on a leafy Parnell street is at the centre of the scrutiny.
New Zealand’s highest watchdog is demanding a ‘please explain’ over the University of Auckland’s purchase of a $5 million house in one of the city’s poshest suburbs for its vice chancellor to live in.
The university bought the plush four-bedroom house, complete with swimming pool and spa, in the inner city suburb of Parnell. It has been renting it to its new head, Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, who began in the role in March.
Checkpoint has been investigating how that rental arrangement works, and has discovered the Auditor-General’s office has sought details about the house with a view to establishing whether or not the purchase benefited an individual staff member.
Now Auckland University has revealed it could sell the controversial multi-million dollar mansion, as its forecast loss in 2023 is $7.5m.
The 1920s weatherboard property on a leafy Parnell street is at the centre of the scrutiny.
“I think there’s a difference between buying a house for Vice Chancellor and buying $5 million mansions,” NZ Union of Student Associations president Isabella Lenihan-Ikin told Checkpoint.
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