22 November 2012

Massey should defend its academic by ending lobbying relationship

TEU national president Sandra Grey says Massey University should immediately distance itself from Mark Unsworth and his lobbying company Unsworth Saunders after his attack on one of its academics, Dr Mike Joy.

Mr Unsworth has been emailing Dr Joy in an attempt to stop him speaking up publicly on his area of expertise, the quality of New Zealand's waterways.

The New Zealand Herald reports that Mr Unsworth wrote: "You guys are the Foot and Mouth Disease of the tourism industry. Most ordinary people in NZ would happily have you lot locked up."

Massey University is a past or present client of the lobbying company Unsworth Saunders.

"We have argued in the past that public tertiary institutions should not waste public money hiring private lobbying companies to have their voice heard by the minister for tertiary education or other public education officials," said Sandra Grey. "However, that corporate relationship moves from wasteful to dangerous when the lobbyist in question starts attacking academics for doing their job."

"Massey University should defend its academic Dr Mike Joy and end its business relationship with Unsworth Saunders immediately. Other tertiary education institutions that have a business relationship with Unsworth Saunders should do so too."
ends

© Scoop Media