Thursday, September 27, 2012 • Jeremy Muir
If ever an individual deserved the classification of stormy petrel it would be the internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, who is becoming a giant thorn in the side of the National-led Government.
Many New Zealanders felt the January police raid on Dotcom’s mansion was a huge overkill, even taking away his luxury cars on a trailer. There was criticism our police appeared to be doing the bidding of the Americans, who want Dotcom extradited.
Then there was the John Banks saga and the two $25,000 donations that triggered a massive attack of amnesia for the embattled Cabinet Minister.
Prime Minister John Key has gritted his teeth and stood by Banks, although some feel that if he was sacked, what could he do? If Banks resigned, National would have no trouble winning Epsom.
Mr Key must be grinding his molars now with the latest farce that has arisen from the Government Communications Security Bureau gathering intelligence on Dotcom. The GCSB is said to have been assured that Dotcom and fellow accused Bram van der Kolk were foreign nationals. In fact they have New Zealand residency, which makes the surveillance illegal.
The certificate was signed by then acting Prime Minister Bill English and Mr Key only learned about it on Monday. His response was a reasonable one, calling for an independent report from Inspector General Paul Neazor.
Unsurprisingly, the Opposition fell over themselves in the House, brandishing blown-up photos of the $500,000 fireworks display in Auckland donated by Dotcom to celebrate his residency.
There is speculation the Government could have exposed itself to legal action but Dotcom has said he will not impose that on New Zealand taxpayers.
In the meantime, the Mega-upload founder faces what for him is a much more significant hearing in the Court of Appeal — as his legal team battles to prevent his extradition to the United States.
If Dotcom is sent to the US, he will be missed by New Zealand’s media but not by John Key.