Media Release Wednesday, 4th February 2009

Advertising Standards Authority finds Carisbrook Stadium Trust advertising “misleading”

* CST contracts could be void *

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found information contained in the CST brochure to be misleading.

Mr Michel de Lange, a resident of Dunedin, complained to the ASA last year about marketing material for the proposed Dunedin stadium issued by The Marketing Bureau Ltd saying it misled the public.
He wrote to the ASA complaining the brochure wrongly claimed that:
1. the University of Otago is a key stakeholder (when it is building on adjacent land) and
2. the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council have confirmed their funding.

In a letter dated 29th January, ASA Deputy Secretary Heather McKenzie said the committee upheld the second point of the complaint by Mr de Lange and found there was a breach of the relevant code.

The ASA has requested the Carisbrook Stadium Trust “voluntarily withdraw the advertisement” and “that advertisements containing the material complained of do not appear in the future.”

Stop the Stadium President, Bev Butler says "What this means for the stadium project is that one of the fundamental conditions set by the DCC for the project to proceed - 60% private funding - won’t be met. The contracts could conceivably be legally challenged due to the misleading advertising. In short, the CST contracts are not worth the paper they're signed on. What a mess these cowboys have got themselves into.”

Mr de Lange said, “I am naturally pleased that my complaint was upheld. I hope that anyone, who has sponsored the stadium, may benefit from having all relevant information.”

ends

© Scoop Media