Tourism minister unhappy with MP's shot at taxpayer spending on football

The Tourism and Hospitality Minister intends to have "a chat" with ACT's tourism spokesperson after he criticised the government's funding of a football game between two "billionaire-owned" clubs.

English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur is set to play Auckland FC in a friendly at Eden Park in July.

The match, part of the International Football Festival, will be supported through the government's $70 million major events and tourism package, although the government will not disclose the specific funding amount for the event for commercial reasons.

ACT's tourism spokesperson Todd Stephenson criticised the funding on social media.

"Why are taxpayers subsidising an event featuring billionaire owned football clubs?" he posted.

"Tottenham and Auckland FC aren't charities. They're backed by owners worth billions. Good luck to them, but they don't need help from Kiwi taxpayers."

Stephenson said the package was "just a slush fund", accusing politicians of "picking winners and spraying public money around in the hope of a headline".

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said New Zealanders were "wildly excited" about Tottenham coming to New Zealand, and she would speak to Stephenson.

"People are entitled to their views. Normally, I would have thought in coalitions that we talk to each other about it, so I'll be making sure I have a chat to that MP," she said.

"I'm the sort of person who has conversations to someone's face. If you've got something to say, bring it on."

The match would be the first time a top-flight English club has played in New Zealand since 2014, when Newcastle United and West Ham United both toured.

Upston was not concerned that the marketing of Spurs as "Premier League icons" was in jeopardy if the club was relegated to the Championship, English football's second tier.

Tottenham currently sits in 17th place on the Premier League table, just one point above the relegation zone with seven games still to go.

"Oh look, I think AFC, for them to be playing a team of that calibre will be exciting, will be great for the fans," Upston said.

"And I think playing it on a Sunday afternoon is a really good move, because we know that football is a really big family sport. So I think it'll be really positive."

Stephenson's post also said that previous visits from the likes of West Ham, Wrexham, Boca Juniors, and LA Galaxy did not need a "government hand out."

But Upston said the point of the fund, which was also being used to support Robbie Williams' upcoming tour and State of Origin, was to help New Zealand compete harder to attract big events.

Asked why the government could fund $70m for major events, but only $15m for food banks in the last Budget, Upston said the package was about increasing economic activity and economic growth, which would boost incomes.

"When you provide more customers, and support business activity and economic activity, then actually you further down the track stop having to fund things like food banks."

ACT leader David Seymour said as a member of the government, he supported its policies, but it should not be a surprise that a member of the ACT Party would criticise government spending.

He said Upston would be "very welcome" to speak to Stephenson.

"I'm sure that Todd will be clear in what he believes and why, as he always has been. I actually think it's healthy that our coalition has a range of views, because there's no monopoly on wisdom," he said.

Seymour said the government made a decision there would be a fund, but did not make decisions about the specific events.

"There's things that we sign up to because we're part of a coalition. That doesn't mean that members of Parliament who are not part of the government, regardless of party, shouldn't have their freedom of speech to say what they think."

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.