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"Is it necessary?": ACT MP questions taxpayer funding of football match

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 Apr 2026, 1:25pm

"Is it necessary?": ACT MP questions taxpayer funding of football match

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 Apr 2026, 1:25pm

An ACT MP is questioning the spending of taxpayer money on a football match.   

The Government's supporting a clash between English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and Auckland FC at Eden Park as part of its $70 million Major Events package. 

ACT MP Todd Stephenson is asking why the match is being subsidised by taxpayers, when neither club is a charity and both are backed by billionaires.  

He told Andrew Dickens he’s had a lot of feedback from people in the tourism and hospitality sectors, as well as local councils, asking for a better process around the fund, as they believe there could be better uses of taxpayer money.  

As Stephenson understands it, the current system has MBIE seeking out what they think will be a hot gig and then reaching out to the organisation, instead of asking people to come forward.  

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