Cleveland Hotel Finally Pays Up
Angela Mabey with additional reporting by Michael Oliver
The Cleveland Motel has finally fronted up with the cash it was ordered to pay VUWSA, but only after VUWSA President Max
Hardy sicced the heavies on them.
Rotorua’s Cleveland Motel charged VUWSA $6724 for what they said were necessary repairs for damage caused by drunk Vic
students staying there during Uni Games 2008.
The students made national headlines for their drunken revelries, and subsequent eviction by the motel’s owners.
Following a decision in the Disputes Tribunal in late February 2009, the Cleveland Motel was ordered to refund VUWSA a
sum of $4114 from the $6724 it charged the association for cleaning and the non-utilisation of the final night’s
accommodation.
The Cleveland Motel argued it was entitled to charge VUWSA for the damage and cleanup work left in the wake of the
drunken carnage. The motel’s owners did not feel obligated to refund the association for the last night’s accommodation.
VUWSA stated there was inadequate proof to substantiate some of the costs charged for cleaning and damage.
Despite being ordered to pay the money back to VUWSA, the Cleveland Motel owners stubbornly refused to do so.
In late 2009, then-VUWSA Vice-President (Administration) Hardy asked the District Court to enforce the Disputes Tribunal
decision.
Over a year after the Disputes Tribunal decision, VUWSA finally received the cash.
When contacted by Salient last year, Cleveland Motel management were less than consolatory about the decision, or indeed students in general.
“You fucking students are the scum of the earth,” the man said.
“You fucks, you scum of the earth. Look what you little pricks did down in fucking Dunedin! Scum of the earth, go save
the world! Go save the fucking whales!”
When questioned about what the money would be used for, Hardy joked “Maybe we can go help those whales now.”
This story was syndicated by the Aotearoa Student Press Association via Salient www.salient.org.nz
ENDS