Two student editors of Auckland University’s Craccum magazine have been locked out of its website after publishing a story revealing their student union chief executive was in line for annual payments of more than $150,000.
The Craccum Administration Board (CAB) locked out managing editor Lewis Creed and fellow editor Lee Li and pulled the article referencing salary and eligible bonus payments of up to $156,045 for Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) chief executive David Fulton.
The standoff has led to claims of editorial interference, “subterfuge” by the reporter involved and conflict of interest accusations against the student union, which runs the magazine through the board.
Creed said the board’s decision to pull the story and lock him and Li out of the website was a clear conflict of interest and felt like censorship.
He has lodged a complaint with the Media Council over the CAB’s actions.
The CAB’s parent organisation, AUSA, denies censorship allegations or claims of editorial interference.
It told the Herald the article was “provisionally” deactivated because of concerns it had breached Media Council principles.
However, the CAB remained open to republishing the story if it was amended to ensure compliance, and if the author could show salary and bonus details gleaned from confidential, leaked AUSA documents were of “legitimate public interest”.
The article by volunteer contributor Justin Agluba - headlined: Craccum Wars: Revenge at the CAB - ran online on October 8 but was pulled from the magazine’s website and print edition following a complaint by Fulton.
Fulton is also a member of CAB, the same organisation that appoints Craccum editors and is now considering Fulton’s complaint.
The story reported that Fulton’s salary had jumped to $142,356 and he was eligible for a 10% performance bonus worth an additional $13,689.
The report said Fulton also earned thousands of dollars as a director of the university’s UBIQ book shop, despite the store being liquidated this year and closing down owing nearly $600,000.
The story questioned the appointment process of CAB members, and raised concerns about editorial independence and AUSA budget cuts to the magazine.
Correspondence viewed by the Herald reveals how the saga has played out behind the scenes.
Magazine editor-in-chief Harry Sutton - also a CAB member - accused Agluba of breaching Fulton’s privacy by publishing details of his remuneration.
In an October 10 email, Sutton also claimed Agluba breached confidentiality obligations by reporting on Fulton’s bonus and the bookshop closure, “which could not be verified through confidential sources”.
Finally, Sutton alleged the author had committed “subterfuge” by obtaining confidential, leaked information from a private meeting.
“This, combined with misleading claims and disclosures, constitutes a [Media Council principle] breach,” Sutton alleged.
“As a result, CAB has decided to remove the article from the online version of Craccum.”
Sutton encouraged Agluba to follow “good journalistic practices moving forward”, including consulting both parties involved in the story and interviewing an AUSA representative “to ensure balance”.
Agluba fired back, saying the story drew from verified sources and documents, and “no misrepresentation or dishonest means were used”.
Removing the article without consulting him amounted to being “preemptively silenced”, he said, raising questions about editorial interference and fairness.
He added that the story addressed governance and funding within AUSA, a student levy-funded incorporated society. The matters raised were of legitimate public interest because they concerned how student funds were managed and how student-media independence was upheld, Agluba said.
Craccum managing editor Lewis Creed told the Herald website access was revoked for him and fellow editor Lee Li the day after the story was published online.
He said the print issue was then altered at the last minute, without their consent or consultation, after Fulton complained to the CAB.
Creed said a copy of Fulton’s complaint had never been provided to him or the article’s author.
He believed the issue of contention was Craccum’s bonus allegation relating to Fulton.
“We were essentially saying that AUSA is claiming a position of financial austerity, whilst handing out bonuses to its staff.”
He felt it was inappropriate for the magazine board to be investigating a complaint from one of its own members, who was also on the executive of the body that funded the magazine.
“It’s a complete conflict of interest.”
While everybody had a right to complain, Creed believed in this instance the complaint should be escalated to the Media Council for independent review.
“Rather than them essentially making a decision about an article about themselves.
“It feels like censorship.”
AUSA president Gabriel Boyd said AUSA and CAB were mindful of a potential conflict. Fulton had “recused” himself from the complaint investigation process “to ensure impartiality”.
Following Fulton’s complaint, the article was provisionally taken down because of concerns it may have breached Media Council principles. This was done in consultation with the editor-in-chief.
“We communicated this to the author, Justin Agluba, in good faith, inviting him to address the concerns raised.”
CAB also undertook to republish the story once Agluba demonstrated that salary details and leaked information from confidential meetings were of public interest, and if the content was amended to ensure compliance with Media Council principles.
“Unfortunately, we have not received a direct response from Justin addressing these concerns, only additional questions and inquiries.”
Boyd said neither AUSA nor CAB opposed Craccum holding the association to account.
“On the contrary, we strongly support student journalism and its role in promoting transparency and accountability.”
However, all reporting must comply with necessary standards, including principles of accuracy, privacy, confidentiality and subterfuge.
“Personal salary information should not be disclosed unless it is clearly in the public interest,” Boyd said.
“Likewise, information obtained from confidential meetings should not be published without proper context or consent.
“Disclosure of such preliminary or incomplete information can be misleading and potentially harmful.”
AUSA and CAB remained open to the article being amended and republished, and for complaints of this nature being reviewed independently by the Media Council.
“AUSA remains committed to transparency in how student levy funds are managed and welcomes fair, balanced scrutiny of its operations,” Boyd said.
A University of Auckland spokesperson said the university had no jurisdiction over how the AUSA conducted its affairs, “provided they meet the documented terms of the funding we pay them to deliver particular services”.
Lane Nichols is Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.