Any idea where Mallard gets his under $500 donations from. ??????????????????

Well benny you can be sure of one thing that no donations go Trevor Mallards way from any member of the National Party, he's too much of a threat.

If Banks gave the basket to hotel staff why did he write a note to Dorcom thanking him for it.

I think Banks is lying again.

John Key should really sack him before this gets as embarrassing as the Richard Worth or Pansy Wong affairs.

Oh wait, that won't happen until the asset sales bill is past and Key no longer needs Banks.

Oh well so much for a higher standard of accountability.

Dodgit
Well said but when Benny can't defend the actions of National or ACT he always resorts to attacking someone in the Labour party in the forlorn hope of deflecting criticism.

I don't know why he wastes his time it fools no one.

Cheers

Rather than picking holes in every politician who,we all know,will always use "it's legal" to excuse crossing the line into questionable territory to get what they want or need,I'm far more intrigued by Kim Dotcom.

It must be a challenging prospect to be now in a "private war" with an extremely rich GERMAN,and let's face it,that culture are reknown for determination and methodology in dealing with "problems".
It also looks like the USA authorities have well and truly revealed an extremely weak case in their attempts to close down an operation that is/was obviously encroaching on their own Mafia like business plans for the world......they dont like sharing control of technology,preferring instead to "rent it out" for exhorbitant fees........lol.

They dont like the thought of 8% of the total online traffic of the world being in somebody elses hands.And if Dotcom remains safely in NZ I reckon that's an enemy anybody let alone Banksie wouldnt want snapping at their heels for the rest of their life..........lol.
I think the govt and Banksie has bitten off much more than they can ever chew !
I love the prospect of revenge served cold !

First you pick a fight with the men who buy their ink by the barrel then you tick off the man with billions and a recording studio. Way to go, John/John.

By the way... What's happening with the investigation into Minister Bennett's breach of client privacy? Seems ages ago now that all that happened.

"I think the govt and Banksie has bitten off much more than they can ever chew !"


Oh,I DO hope so!

Could someone tell me what the difference is between the Dotcom/Banks saga and the following Jones /Moon saga?

Bill Moon (alias many other names) a chinese of very disreputable character wanted citizenship of New Zealand but was turned down by the Immigration Dept. He went to his friend Shane Jones an M.P. in the Labour regime to get his help. He immediately gave him his blessing and took the papers to his Caucus to get their approval, these were immediately signed off by Shearer and the minister concerned and Moon was granted citizenship much to the disgust of the Immigration Dept.
Shearer has a lot to say and still does over the Dotcom/Banks situation but not a word about this. I wonder why? but then "This is the Labour Way "is it not.
Any thoughts from the Labour Club would be appreciated.

Just when will JK find the fortitude to dump Banksie?
He has gotten rid of others for lesser indiscretions.

KC, There are more revelations to come on John Banks,& John Key etc. we are told but in the fullness of time when the polls and the heat in the kitchen gets a bit hotter I,m sure we,ll see some attempt to retrieve his credilbility. Personally I think John Key Brand is doomed and thats why we are seeing National Ministers shoring up their support.

Once the budget is all signed & sealed John Banks will be dumped.

Oh dear. I just can't resist this one.

FYI, when any resident or citizen of New Zealand cannot get a 'satisfactory' answer from Ministry officials, any Ministry, it is their absolute right to make a final appeal to the Minister. (Usually, they will have already appealed to their own Member of Parliament for advice & assistance in the matter of concern.)

Often, an MP will assess the situation and tell the constituent whether they support them or not but most MPs, whether they support the constituent or not, will ensure the constituent is aware they can appeal to the Minister as a last resort. And many MPs, whether they support the constituent or not, will assist them to do that.

Personal appeals to the Minister are usually handled by the Associate Minister. Jones was the Associate Min at the time I believe.

A constituent appeal to a Minister referred by another Member of Parliament, whether they are of the same or supporting party or of the Opposition, are prioritized by the Minister - who may have a hundred unsolicited and unsupported appeals, letters and emails, pleading for his or her intervention, piling up on their desk.

We've all read the papers and seen the news and been incensed by immigration cases when it seems officials have made the wrong decision. NZ born children threatened with deportation to the slums of Delhi, for example, because their parents are illegals or lost their jobs or separated. And en masse we've demanded that the Minister reverse the officials' decision and allow them to stay.

I have no idea whether Jones made the right or wrong decision; it would seem to be quite wrong, in retrospect. I doubt he did anything illegal, possibly it was unwise to override the officials in this instance, and no doubt they'll be reviewing it as we speak.

We have to remember the official's role is to be ultra cautious. Ministers have discretion to make their own calls within the law. I guess they get it wrong sometimes.

That's the process, Benny.

Here's a bit more since you're clearly very confused.

Ministers are responsible for making these decisions. Members of the Opposition are not Ministers. Labour has been in Opposition since 2008. Shearer came into Parliament, after PM Helen Clark retired at the 2008 election, in a by-election for Mt Albert. Jones was the Associate Minister responsible, apparently, for granting Mr Moon's citizenship or residency or whatever it was, back when Labour WAS the government.

But don't let a few inconvenient facts stop you - keep spinning spinning spinning. Oh, and thanks for the opportunity