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Summarised by Centrist
A row has erupted at Auckland University after Craccum magazine reported that student union CEO David Fulton earns $142,356 a year plus a potential 10% bonus, bringing his total package to about $156,000.
The article also said Fulton had received additional income as a director of UBIQ, the student bookshop that recently went into liquidation owing almost $600,000.
Following publication, the student union’s governing board (CAB) pulled the story and locked out Craccum’s editors from the website, citing possible breaches of privacy and Media Council principles.
The editors called the move censorship and a conflict of interest, noting that Fulton sits on the same board overseeing the magazine. AUSA, the parent body, denied censorship and said the story was “provisionally” removed until the author could show that salary and bonus details from leaked documents were of legitimate public interest.
While the censorship dispute continues, the underlying question is how a student-levy-funded association justifies a six-figure executive salary. The CEO oversees student services, advocacy, and events, but the magazine’s report asked whether bonuses and governance roles align with AUSA’s claims of financial austerity. Fulton has recused himself from the internal review, and both sides say they welcome independent Media Council oversight.
Read more over at The NZ Herald (paywalled)
