On 18 December 2018 the minister for education, Chris Hipkins, announced that he had rejected the University Council's recommendation, stating that the proposed change did not have sufficient support from Victoria's staff, students or alumni, and that such a change would not be in keeping with institution accountability or be in the national interest. On 6 May 2019 Victoria University's Council announced that it would not contest the Education Minister's decision to reject its name-change proposal. The name change had received exceptionally strong opposition from faculty, alumni, students, and the Wellington City Council.
On 18 December 2018 the minister for education Chris Hipkins, announced that he had rejected the University Council's recommendation, stating that the propose,d change did not hav,e sufficient support from Victoria's staff students or alumni and that such a change would not be in keeping with institution accountability or be in the national interest. On 6 May 2019 Victoria University's Council announced that it would not contest the Education Minister's decision to reject, its name-change proposal. The name change had received exceptionally strong opposition from faculty, alumni, students, and the Wellington City Council.