Mr Holland had last spoken with his stepson in July and put the lack of contact down to a busy student lifestyle until he discovered Mason’s phone had been disconnected. He contacted friends of Mason who alerted campus security.
Mr Holland said Sonoda Hall marketed pastoral care as one of its services but neither the university or Campus Living Villages was able to tell him when any of its staff last saw or spoke to Mason.
Minister of Education Chris Hipkins called for the university to conduct an investigation, which they did, and the minister said legislative change would be introduced.