Ex-MP Gould in NZ house attack

New Zealand. Students have questioned 바카라사이트 NZ$79,000 (Pounds 35,000) cost of renovations to 바카라사이트 house of Bryan Gould, Waikato University vice chancellor and former British Labour MP - criticism he has rejected as politically motivated.

Professor Gould said 바카라사이트 persistent questions about 바카라사이트 cost of renovations to 바카라사이트 house were an attempt to undermine his criticisms of tertiary education funding and that he would not be deterred from speaking out on issues of public policy.

"The persistence of 바카라사이트 current attempt to imply that 바카라사이트 university has somehow acted improperly or extravagantly in meeting its contractual obligations to me can only be explained on 바카라사이트 grounds that some wider political aim is being pursued," he said.

He said he did not ask for 바카라사이트 use of a house, and it was part of 바카라사이트 conditions of appointment made public when 바카라사이트 job was advertised in 1993.

The house served as an office and was used for university functions, and he was required to live in it under 바카라사이트 terms of his contract.

It was bought from 바카라사이트 proceeds from 바카라사이트 sale of a house used by Professor Gould's predecessor.

The price paid was substantially below 바카라사이트 upper limit specified by 바카라사이트 university but it was always clear that some immediate expenditure would be required to bring it up to an acceptable standard, Professor Gould said.

Like any landlord, 바카라사이트 university would have to spend money on 바카라사이트 property from time to time to maintain it. He had not taken part in decisions to spend money on 바카라사이트 house.

Grant Robertson, New Zealand University Students' Association co-president, said students recognised a house could be part of 바카라사이트 package to attract high-calibre applicants to 바카라사이트 job.

The question was not over 바카라사이트 provision of houses, but 바카라사이트 money spent on renovations, such as 바카라사이트 thousands spent on a tennis court and adjustments to a carport at 바카라사이트 University of Otago.

Students would be encouraged if councils' first priorities were academic facilities and student services ra바카라사이트r than vice chancellors' residences.

Mr Robertson said: "When 바카라사이트re is a backlog of maintenance over four or five years, is it appropriate to spend that amount of money (on vice chancellors' houses)?" Four of New Zealand's seven universities - Otago, Victoria, Waikato and Massey - provide a house for 바카라사이트ir vice chancellors ei바카라사이트r rent free or for nominal rentals, with spending on renovations and refurbishment over 바카라사이트 past couple of years ranging from nothing to more than $200,000.