The Involvement of Auckland Mayor John Banks
Former Auckland mayor John Banks was among New Zealanders who extended a welcoming hand to Dotcom. Banks met him when he was Auckland mayor and asked Dotcom for help putting on a fireworks display in the city's harbour. Banks later attended a New Year's Eve party thrown by Dotcom at the city centre apartment of now bankrupt property developer David Henderson. He said it provided a great view of the fireworks display detonated over the Waitemata Harbour. Banks said he offered advice to the millionaire on how to apply for Overseas Investment Commission permission to buy the Coatesville mansion Dotcom had been renting since coming to New Zealand.
On April 28, 2012 Dotcom revealed he also donated $50,000 to John Banks' mayoralty campaign in 2010 and claims Banks asked him to split the donation in two - so that each amount was below the maximum donation allowed and was made 'anonymously'. Dotcom said Banks later rang him up and thanked him for the contribution. This revelation was a major embarrassment for Banks, for New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, and for the National Party who were relying on Banks' support in Parliament to remain in power. The police were asked to investigate whether Banks had broken electoral laws. No charges were laid but the police file was made public and concluded that Banks had filed a false declaration of donations, but "had not done so deliberately because he claims to have signed the declaration without reading it". Dotcom subsequently recorded a song titled Amnesia, which mocks John Banks' inability to remember the $50,000 donation.
A poll in October, 2012, found the New Zealand public had a more favourable view of Kim Dotcom than Banks.
Read more about this topic: Kim Dotcom
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