The University of Otago is negotiating with the Otago University Students' Association about using ''taxpayer dollars'' to buy a pub, the association's president says.
Francisco Hernandez made the revelation during a heated debate on Facebook over a disputed report in Critic that the university had used its funding arrangement with OUSA to stop it from buying a bar without the university's involvement.
''Just because we are still in negotiations over purchasing a student bar does not constitute an attempt to bully us.
Even if these negotiations fail and the university don't want to fund buying a student pub with taxpayer dollars - that's fine too and doesn't constitute an attempt to bully us,'' Mr Hernandez said.
After making the post, Mr Hernandez told the Otago Daily Times the association was waiting to see what happened with the Captain Cook Tavern before taking discussions with the university further.
Mr Hernandez also said on Facebook that OUSA had previously been in ''heavy discussions'' with the university about buying the Cook, but the asking price was too steep.
When asked if the $6 million asking price reported by Critic was correct, Mr Hernandez said he did not know the ''exact'' price, but it was a ''very high figure''.
In response to questions about the negotiations, the university's chief operating officer, John Patrick, said in a statement:
''The university will not consider any options it might have until it knows what the owners' plans are for the Captain Cook Hotel.
Any comments prior to this would be premature, and speculative.''
