Which MP is Kim Dotcom talking to?

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, March 23rd, 2014 - 143 comments
Categories: Media - Tags: , ,

kim dotcomOK in an effort to preserve open mike for other discussions as well the Herald is reporting this morning that Dotcom says he has signed up one sitting MP for his new party.

So who is it? I suspect that Karol has it right that if anyone has actually been signed up it would be Brendan Horan because he is otherwise facing political oblivion. But time will tell if this MP actually exists and if so who it is.

I must say that I admire Dotcom’s ability to get media speculation happening …

143 comments on “Which MP is Kim Dotcom talking to? ”

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  1. drongo 1
    23 March 2014 at 8:29 am

    Could Ms Curran be the one? She needs to deny the rumour very soon.

  2. Pete George 2
    23 March 2014 at 8:36 am

    The Herald says:

    they are negotiating a deal with Hone Harawira and claim to be talking to four sitting electorate MPs about joining up with the Internet Party, in the most aggressive poaching exercise in this country’s contemporary political history.

    Electorate MPs. Horan isn’t an electorate MP.

    Harawira is one obvious possibility despite his denials a few days ago. Surprising that he has only just talked to the Mana board about it – if he was correct with that claim.

    Winston Peters and Russel Norman are known to have met Dotcom but they are very unlikely to risk their parties.

    Clare Curran has acknowledged visiting Dotcom twice and is someone who obviously should be asked about it, if it’s not her she deserves to have that put on record.

    • Zorr 2.1
      23 March 2014 at 8:42 am

      “Dotcom said he was also in talks with Mana Party leader Hone Harawira to unite their two parties under one umbrella”

      Your selective editing of quotes from the Herald article does you absolutely no favors PG Tips… fact checker my arse

      There is a) nothing new here and b) nothing to claim that Hone is the MP because he is talking to KDC as the leader of a party, not as a ship jumper

      • Pete George 2.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 8:56 am

        I wasn’t fact checking, just quoting what was reported. Anyone can read the whole editorial, but that quote is what seems to be of particular interest to many people.

        If Harawira isn’t one of the “four sitting electorate MPs” then if that claim is correct they must be from another party or parties.

        Matthew seemed to be doing nothing more than mischievous speculating a couple of days ago about party jumping, and that received a lot of media attention.

        If the Mana Party is discussing an arrangement with the Internet Party that’s of more interest, it’s possibly putting the future of an existing party on the line.

        And if other sitting electorate MPs are discussing jumping to Dotcom’s party that is of major interest. David Cunliffe and Judith Collins have both been accused of “lying by omission” recently. Going through a party selection process while talking to another as yet unofficial party would be a major omission.

        • Zorr 2.1.1.1
          23 March 2014 at 9:20 am

          If you are going to quote something other than the linked articles, then it would behoove you to link what the hell you are talking about – we’ve had this discussion before.

    • karol 2.2
      23 March 2014 at 8:50 am

      PG, I can’t find your quote in the NZ Herald article, only this:

      Internet mogul Kim Dotcom claims he has signed up one sitting MP to join his new party before the election and is talking to three more –
      […]
      The Mana Party executive will this week consider a merger proposal. Mana would bring one or two electorates, the Internet Party would bring a more broadly-based party vote and $1 million-plus in campaign funding.

      Dotcom’s confidence about securing an electorate from a sitting MP could dramatically change the election campaign.
      […]
      “We are also talking to a number of MPs that have won electorates and are likely to win electorates again. Our goal is to put together a good alliance to make sure this agenda we have gets into Parliament.

      • phillip ure 2.2.1
        23 March 2014 at 8:54 am

        did you just make up that quote..?

        ..pg..?

        ..yr credibility has just passed thru the u-pipe below the loo..

        ..you are beyond a fucken joke..

        ..go and sit in the corner with farrar/williams..

        ..and have a group auto-erotic experience..

        ..eh..?

      • Stephanie Rodgers 2.2.2
        23 March 2014 at 8:55 am

        Pete is apparently quoting from the Herald on Sunday editorial:
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11224554

        It would have been helpful for him to make that clear.

        • karol 2.2.2.1
          23 March 2014 at 9:02 am

          OK. So the Herald Editorial does not make it clear that the 4 sitting electorate MPs that Dotcom is (allegedly) talking to, includes the sitting MP the Internet Party has (according to the article on the Dotcom interview) already signed up.

          And the editorial seems to think that 2 electorate MPs from Labaour and/or National are likely to, or already have, signed up with the internet Party – confusing, much.

          From the editoiral:

          If it is true that Dotcom has persuaded one or more sitting National or Labour electorate MPs to join him in a polygamous marriage, then the Internet Party starts to look like a real threat to the Government.

          This all adds up to much muddying of the waters.

          • Stephanie Rodgers 2.2.2.1.1
            23 March 2014 at 10:41 am

            It’s like a fun logic puzzle: there are three or four MPs. One or more may or may not be from National or Labour. Three like cheesecake. The one who doesn’t like cheesecake owns a car. Using these clues, can you figure out which MP is joining the Internet Party?

            • Clemgeopin 2.2.2.1.1.1
              23 March 2014 at 10:52 am

              John Key?

              • dv …
                23 March 2014 at 11:12 am

                Nope
                Collins or/and Parata

                • Stephanie Rodgers …
                  23 March 2014 at 11:40 am

                  The original article doesn’t say it’s an electorate MP – the phrasing “We are also talking to a number of MPs that have won electorates and are likely to win electorates again” could refer to people who are now list MPs but have won seats previously. But either way, it rules out Parata.

        • lurgee 2.2.2.2
          23 March 2014 at 9:37 pm

          He identified its source. he didn’t link it, but I think we are all big enough and ugly enough to run a quote through a search engine, eh?

          I think some people are just making a point of trying to be obstreperous and unpleasant. They really just manage to make themselves look weak and silly. Wah! No link!

          Toughen up, The Left.

      • Populuxe1 2.2.4
        23 March 2014 at 10:33 am

        From excellent sources I have believe Dotcom and Horan have indeed been in negotiations. There is a smowball’s chance in a supernova that Dotcom’s essentially libertarian/pirate party could ever work with MANA because while I wouldn’t touch MANA with a ten foot electrified cattleprod, they at least are of th eleft and care about protecting the vulnerable.

        • phillip ure 2.2.4.1
          23 March 2014 at 10:47 am

          with horan

          ..why would you bother..?

          ..what could he bring to the table..?

          ..(aside from ever-so-slight name-recognition..?..)

          ..and he is out the door in september..

          ..whereas..unlike you..i see mana and dotcom/priate-party having policies that cd mean they cd work together..

          • Populuxe1 2.2.4.1.1
            23 March 2014 at 11:17 am

            Tikanga and IP are the same thing. You don’t see a problem there?

          • lurgee 2.2.4.1.2
            23 March 2014 at 9:39 pm

            If Mana link with .com I’ll abjure them. .com is not our friend or ally, just because he makes National and ACT look uncomfortable.

    • karol 2.3
      23 March 2014 at 8:54 am

      PG: Surprising that he has only just talked to the Mana board about it – if he was correct with that claim.

      The Herald article also says this:

      The two leaders and their party bosses, Vikram Kumar and Gerard Hehir, met on February 28 at a house on Auckland’s North Shore.

      • Pete George 2.3.1
        23 March 2014 at 9:02 am

        Harawira is quoted on the Mana website:

        “I haven’t spoken publicly about the meeting because I haven’t yet spoken with the MANA Exec about it. That’s set for later this week.

        “There are no further meetings planned.”

        http://mana.net.nz/2014/03/mana-meets-with-kim-dotcom/

        “Not yet speaking” to the MANA Exec three weeks after that 28 February meeting.

        “There are no further meetings planned” implies nothing further is planned in making an arrangement between MANA and Dotcom/Internet Party..

    • David H 2.4
      23 March 2014 at 9:52 am

      Oh Fuck Off (Sorry Karol) PG, they never said that in the article. I see you are upto your usual bullshit of making crap up. Maybe you should join Paddy Gower (yes another PG) he makes shit up too.

      Check this fact. Pete George is Full of shit!

    • Cancerman 2.5
      23 March 2014 at 9:57 am

      Neither Winston or Russell are electrorate MP’s also.

    • The Pink Postman 2.6
      25 March 2014 at 4:36 pm

      Read todays Herald ,Clare Curran confermed as the Labour candidate Dunedan South,
      What ever is all the fuss about .Im more concernedt getting rid of this corrupt dangerous

  3. Matthew Hooton 3
    23 March 2014 at 8:41 am

    The answer could fall anywhere between and including “all” and “none” and is ultimately uninteresting.

    If he had “signed up” an MP, there would be an immediate announcement. It wouldn’t be something you would hold for a few months because the person might change their mind in the meantime.

    • Stephanie Rodgers 3.1
      23 March 2014 at 8:51 am

      This is a very funny comment coming from the person who single-handedly created the “Shane Jones is jumping ship to NZ First” headlines of a few days ago.

      • Matthew Hooton 3.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 8:53 am

        “single-handedly” would be a major mischaracterization! Others also deserve the credit.

        • quartz 3.1.1.1
          23 March 2014 at 9:06 am

          Hey Matthew, when are you going to tell us which National party fundraisers you’ve attended?

        • bad12 3.1.1.2
          23 March 2014 at 9:15 am

          Really Hooton, theres a well known disease of the mind that has any number of ‘other’s’ traveling in the same single cranial cavity,

          Save the innuendo, if there are other’s who helped you make up this particular piece of bullshit, so name them, or, have the testicular fortitude to own the story you penned instead of ‘spinning’ about other’s…

          • Matthew Hooton 3.1.1.2.1
            23 March 2014 at 9:25 am

            The people I have spoken to on this matter did so on the basis of confidence that I will not be betraying. Have you read the column?

            • phillip ure 3.1.1.2.1.1
              23 March 2014 at 9:32 am

              in hootons’ defence..

              ..nz first is the natural home for jones..

              ..and he is a ‘man alone’ in labour..

              ..and being a party-leader would feed into his overweening arrogance/ego..

              ..i don’t think it is a premise to be so easily dismissed..

            • bad12 3.1.1.2.1.2
              23 March 2014 at 9:46 am

              Hooton, read your column???, and pay to do so??? its easy to see why i pointed at folk with diseased minds,

              i would rather beat my testicles with a large ball peen hammer than subject myself to the rubbish you write,

              On the scale of things, Blubber boy over at ‘wail oil’ is the sewer, your writing i would suggest is the toilet roll hanging on the wall right next to that sewer,

              So the voices in your head that helped you pen this particular bullshit about Jones taking a walk over to NZFirst have now taken the vows of silence???…

              • srylands …
                23 March 2014 at 10:03 am

                I think making fun of people with mental illness is pretty low. Also I would recommend to you that you pony up with a sub to the NBR. It is the only MSM paper worth reading. You could probably learn a lot to inform your thinking about economic policy.

                Also, referring to Whale Oil Beef Hooked (WOBH) (it is not ‘wail oil’) as a sewer is ironic given the filth that emanates from you.

                • bad12 …
                  23 March 2014 at 10:12 am

                  SSLands, thank you for your concerns, now F off, if Hooton is the roll of bog paper hanging off the wall next to the ‘wail oil’ sewer, you are the brown stain that becomes apparent on that bog roll after it has been put to use…

                  • Bearded Git …
                    23 March 2014 at 11:49 am

                    While this may be true not sure if it enhances the status of The Standard to say it.

                    I could not bring myself to touch or use anything with a picture of Hoots on it.

                • David H …
                  23 March 2014 at 4:35 pm

                  No it’s Blubber boys Bullshit site.

                • Crunchtime …
                  25 March 2014 at 3:24 pm

                  You do know that site’s name is a mockery of the Irish pronunciation of “Well I’ll be f**ked” don’t you? So you’re interested in defending that drivel of muckraking defamatory hackery? It falls well short of the standard of behaviour bad12 just set.

              • Matthew Hooton …
                23 March 2014 at 2:20 pm

                If you haven’t read it, how can you say it is rubbish?

                • Lanthanide …
                  23 March 2014 at 5:40 pm

                  You wrote it?

                  Pretty easy, Hooton.

                  • bad12 …
                    23 March 2014 at 6:52 pm

                    Ditto Lanth, Hooton is obviously proud of His ability to print absolute bullshit and get paid for it…

                    • lurgee …
                      23 March 2014 at 9:44 pm

                      The howling hate flecked drivel above actually makes Matthew Hooton look good. Grow up, little people. Only teenagers think it is cool to swear and yell abuse at people you don’t like.

                      You look suspiciously like people who can’t win an argument and resort to swearing to cover up your humiliation.

                    • bad12 …
                      23 March 2014 at 9:58 pm

                      Bullshit artists never look good lurgee, nor do those that defend such bullshit artists…

                    • lurgee …
                      24 March 2014 at 7:09 am

                      Ah, see how criticising the behaviour of posters here is immediately interpreted as ‘defending’ Hooton.

                      That’s how things work in your little mind, is it? You’re either part of the jeering gang of thugs, or one of their targets. Gotcha.

                    • bad12 …
                      24 March 2014 at 7:50 am

                      Lurgee, diddums, you might be prepared to treat Hooton with ‘respect’ based on the fact that he is ‘in’ with the powerful people, i am not,

                      Why would i use anything else on one of the ‘rights’ chief ‘spinners’ of fiction into fact,

                      Derision is the language i choose to converse with Liars in, its as simple as that,and, anyone having read any amount of my prolific number of comments here at the Standard, assuming their brain matter is functioning correctly, will notice a marked difference in how i respond to ‘wing-nuts’ and how i respond to those who comment using factual matter as the currency of debate,

                      Attempting to converse in any rational manner with Hooton is in my opinion akin to a debate with SSLands,(with the codicil that Hooton is far better at the slippery stuff),matters of fact are not to the fore when debating with either of them, and,when pinned down on the stream of lies that is their usual modus operendi they simply disappear only to pop up again in another debate spreading the same bullshit,

                      Proving such bullshit to be exactly what it is takes time to research the issue and front with the facts, i do not propose to continually be engaged in an ongoing research project of this nature because as i point out above ‘that type’ are not in the slightest interested in such facts,

                      Derision then is my default option for the wing-nuts who come here with the continuous stream of bullshit, as for your effete sensibilities, fuck them and you, you only have to come across the handle ‘bad12’ and slide on by, nobody is forcing you to read what i produce…

                    • lurgee …
                      24 March 2014 at 8:05 pm

                      Oh, I wouldn’t dream of missing out on one your entertaining missives.

                      I don’t treat Hooton with respect because “he is ‘in’ with the powerful people”. That’s just another one you your demented inventions.

                      I try to treat everyone with respect, as long as they extend me the same courtesy. See, that is what makes me better than Cameron Slater, and you.

                      Perhaps you’d be more at home on WhaleOil. Just a thought.

                • Tracey …
                  25 March 2014 at 3:28 pm

                  you mean like all the people who havent read hollow men but say its rubbish.

  4. nadis 4
    23 March 2014 at 9:48 am

    I find this comment really disturbing:

    “It us our goal to be in a position where the Internet Party picks the next government….”

    The hubris behind that statement scares me. Dotcom is obviously doing this in order to muddy the waters around his extradition. I can live with mmp and concepts like the most popular party not being the got etc, but for a personal agenda driven non Nz citizen to buy this kind of result scared me. What next, a Russian billionaire forming a party to promote his own personal interest?

    • David H 4.1
      23 March 2014 at 10:20 am

      Well we already got the NSA writing our security, GCSB, and TICS bills. So why not a rich fat German?? I know who I’d prefer.

    • drongo 4.2
      23 March 2014 at 4:32 pm

      Hey, do not muck around with DotCom. Norman has promised him immunity and no extradition if he gains political power.

      How much, Mr Norman?

      [lprent: No links. I’m tired of this particular line of unsubstantiated stupidity. I’ve already banned one person for it because it is a classic flamewar starter. So you are now banned permanently for stupidity. ]

    • Tracey 4.3
      25 March 2014 at 3:30 pm

      people need to remember who dotcom turned to for political favours…. banks for one.

      he is a means to an ends guy which is why i hope the greens are well clear of him.

      my pick is tony ryall.

  5. Disraeli Gladstone 5
    23 March 2014 at 10:08 am

    If Mana has any form of agreement with Dotcom and the Internet Party then it’s dead and a sell-out that would rival National’s whole second term.

    Dotcom is a man who donated to John Banks. He is frivolous with his wealth. And is, it appears, a poor employer.

    How can Mana even be considering this? It goes against nearly every principle in the party. Hopefully, Harawira and Sykes just comes out and shut it down, explaining why Dotcom is incompatible with Mana’s political ideals.

    • weka 5.1
      23 March 2014 at 10:42 am

      “And is, it appears, a poor employer.”

      how so?

      • Disraeli Gladstone 5.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 11:20 am

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11222725

        There are issues around pay and working hours.

        Also, similar to being an employer, Dotcom still hasn’t repaid creditors but is able to spend large amount of money on vacations and launching albums.

        He’s not a nice man. He has made rape jokes and so on.

        I don’t know why so many people on the left are in love with him. He is a typical rich, frivolous, latent mean-spirited tendencies of a man. He donated money to John Banks. If Key didn’t have him arrested, he’d probably be one of National’s biggest supporters.

        I think too many people are following the mantra of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” That’s not always true.

        • The Al1en 5.1.1.1
          23 March 2014 at 1:50 pm

          “I don’t know why so many people on the left are in love with him. He is a typical rich, frivolous, latent mean-spirited tendencies of a man. He donated money to John Banks. If Key didn’t have him arrested, he’d probably be one of National’s biggest supporters.”

          That’s the nail on the head, like whoever jumps in to bed with .com, is a nail in their coffin.

          He will be extradited, eventually, and rightfully so. Megaupload was a favourite of leechers and pirates, as is mega, which contains copyrighted material for download just like the old site.

          What party/parties are involved in these discussions is more interesting than speculation about no-one’s like Horan and Dunne.

          • lurgee 5.1.1.1.1
            23 March 2014 at 9:47 pm

            +1 billion.

            Don’t normally do that, but the .com worship sickens me. Mostly because it shows how utterly ineffective the left have been at taking on this government. We have to rely on the right turning on itself.

            • Tracey 5.1.1.1.1.1
              25 March 2014 at 3:33 pm

              sorry but who is worshipping him? he has jumped on the gcsb issue which the left gives a shit about and the right dont. that doesnt make the left in love with him.

              • lurgee …
                25 March 2014 at 3:47 pm

                Too many seem to think our enemy’s enemies are our friends. They aren’t. They are just more enemies.

                • Tracey …
                  25 March 2014 at 4:03 pm

                  you interpret a person who is fighting for privacy and undoing the gcsb act as embracing him. some may but i know many who dont. but i wont stop my objecting to the gcsb nonsense and other inroads into our lives just because dotcom is also objecting.

        • Murray Olsen 5.1.1.2
          23 March 2014 at 11:48 pm

          For me, it’s not a question of being in love with Dotcom at all, or even of having any misapprehensions about what he represents. When Key, the FBI, the GCSB, and our own ngati poaka decided to ignore Kiwi sovereignty and Kiwi law, the fact that they didn’t choose a paragon of the proletarian struggle as their victim is neither here nor there. I stand alongside Dotcom against Key, not as a friend, but as someone to whom what Key has done and plans to do is completely unacceptable.

          I also stand alongside my friends and comrades in Mana in not wanting too be part of any amalgamation with the non-existent Internet Party. I have let them know this and as far as I know, there will be no merging. Quite simply, it would be the death of the Mana movement. That they have the odd member who thinks it would be the best idea since sliced bread just serves to emphasise Hone’s dislike of cannabis and what it can do to impressionable minds.

        • weka 5.1.1.3
          26 March 2014 at 12:44 pm

          Disraeli, that link doesn’t show KDC being a poor employer.

          You’d be surprised at how many men in NZ who are otherwise nice people make rape jokes.

          It’s fine you don’t like the man. I don’t know enough about him to have an opinion on like/dislike of him as a person. I think there is definitely cause for caution (esp re the Banks donation, and how he uses his money to influence power), but I also think he is filling a vacuum in NZ left by the lack of political movements outside of the parties in parliament. To what extent the left can make good use of that remains to be seen.

  6. burt 6
    23 March 2014 at 10:09 am

    Breaking news; The least corrupt country in the world has entire political system corrupted with just $1m. Reporters talked to Owen Glenn who said he wondered if after buying a PM with a new building and a party leader with just $100,000 he should dig in and buy a ministerial position with $1m but decided not too. He said he’s now regretting that he didn’t think of using his wealth to buy the parties that represent the lowest paid workers. Saying it seemed wrong at the time he’s now reflecting that since the party leaders sell out so easily he should have ignored his ethics and just fully abused the system like the self serving NZ politicians do.

    • Kaplan 6.1
      23 March 2014 at 10:22 am

      Next we’ll have people manipulating the currency market to make enough to buy themselves the job of Prime Minister. Oh wait…

      • burt 6.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 10:28 am

        I get it… It’s ok to be corrupt if the other side did it to !

        • miravox 6.1.1.1
          24 March 2014 at 7:48 am

          No, you really don’t get it burt. Corruption is not OK.

          It would be helpful if you ‘reported’ on the current lot in the same light that you report the last Labour government perceived corruption, seeing as we’ve had another government for quite sometime now. Or don’t you ‘see’ any corruptions with Key & co?

          I’d be more interested to read your views on, say, Sky City, seeing there is still a chance of making a difference to that sell-out whereas there is no chance of rewriting the Glenn affair that Labour and NZ First were caned with back in the day.

    • Murray Olsen 6.2
      23 March 2014 at 11:55 pm

      I might be a bit paranoid, but I think you just made that up. If it had really happened, it would be on tv.

      • phillip ure 6.2.1
        24 March 2014 at 6:59 am

        do some basic research..olsen..

        ..key made large amounts of money by manipulating/hurting the nz currency when he was a money-trader..

        ..and ‘it has to be on tv..to be real’..?

        ..are you kidding..?

        • Murray Olsen 6.2.1.1
          25 March 2014 at 1:05 am

          The way the comments are numbered on this blog allow most people to see to whom a reply is addressed. Most people.

  7. Ant 7
    23 March 2014 at 10:13 am

    Any MP to sign up with dotcom would have to be thick. A great thorn in the government’s side, but he is like Owen Glenn but with worse baggage — has $ but is more trouble than what he is worth.

  8. burt 8
    23 March 2014 at 10:17 am

    In a recent interview with Winston Peters the king of baseless allegations and hiding behind parliamentary privilege and technicalities noted; it was always American bag men that I accused National of getting into bed with, and Asians are the enemy. There is nothing wrong with selling out to German satchel men.

  9. veutoviper 9
    23 March 2014 at 11:23 am

    Having read the comments to date, I was getting confused about various quotes and which Herald articles these came from.

    For the sake of clarification, the Herald is running three articles on the Internet Party today:

    An Editorial – this one http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11224554

    And two articles by Jonathan Milne

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11224591 – entitled “Dotcom claims first MP”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11224539 – entitled “Politicians of all stripes welcome ”

    The focus here so far seems to have been on the Editoral and the first of Milne’s articles and which MPs will defect etc

    Personally I found the second of Milne’s articles of more interest in providing information on who is now involved in the Internet Party – and their backgrounds and politics.

    By tomorrow, the party will have seven staff: chief executive Vikram Kumar, party secretary Anna Sutherland, PR man John Mitchell, lawyer Graeme Edgeler, social media guru Callum Valentine, brand manager Andy Pickering, and policy and media adviser Jim Tucker.

    The article provides more background on most of these people – fascinating and worth reading .

    IMO this article gives more clues to which MPs etc may be looking at the IP than the other two articles. Personally I am not making any guesses as yet, as I need to absorb what all three articles are saying first.

    • lprent 9.1
      23 March 2014 at 11:49 am

      The Herald on Sunday editorial is at best piss-poor editorialising.

      More worrying for Key, they are negotiating a deal with Hone Harawira and claim to be talking to four sitting electorate MPs about joining up with the Internet Party, in the most aggressive poaching exercise in this country’s contemporary political history.

      I guess they forgot about the United New Zealand party with the remaining turncoat Peter Dunne still in parliament.

      United was founded in the middle of 1995, one of a number of new parties hoping to capitalize on the upcoming switch to the MMP electoral system. It was intended to be a liberal centrist party, encompassing moderate voters from both the centre-left and the centre-right. The party was established by four MPs from the National Party, two MPs from the Labour Party, and former Labour MP Peter Dunne, who had already established his own party, Future New Zealand (not to be confused with the Christian-based party of the same name which United later merged with). The party was led by Clive Matthewson, a former Labour MP.

      The MPs who established United were:
      Margaret Austin (Labour)
      Bruce Cliffe (National)
      Peter Dunne (Future New Zealand, originally Labour)
      Clive Matthewson (Labour)
      Pauline Gardiner (National)
      Peter Hilt (National)
      John Robertson (National)

      The party, while initially attracting interest, performed poorly in the 1996 election.

      Or Winston Peters dropping out of National to form the NZ First party.

      This is the typical way that new political parties form

      • veutoviper 9.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 12:00 pm

        Thanks for that reminder, lprent. I had forgotten about that piece of NZ political history!

        Re the Internet Party, if they do indeed have current electorate MPs interested, then they could come from across the spectrum. I don’t think Horan is a possibility – and some of the wording in the three articles is interesting. While it implies – or rather the perception from the wording – is that the MPs are current MPs, it could also be that some are ex-electoral MPs who are no longer in Parliament, but could be thinking of running again. But I cannot think who these could be!

      • Pete George 9.1.2
        23 March 2014 at 12:00 pm

        That was different, it was existing MPs splitting off to form their own parties because of the change to MMP.

        It’s quite different now with someone facing possible extradition with a stated aim of taking out the key Government suggesting they have a huge campaign budget and claiming to have possible support of an existing party (Mana) plus sitting electorate MPs (none of whom have been identified).

        • lprent 9.1.2.1
          23 March 2014 at 6:56 pm

          I don’t see any particular differences between that and the financing of Act – both past and present. The present is of course Gibbs who appears to have his own private party well in hand judging on the recent conference.

          But you don’t have to look hard into the local political history. For instance the Bob Jones party in the early 1980s.

          Besides, it would not surprise me if I looked at the formation of the United party closely and found a set of money interests at the back of it. There was quite a lot of speculation about it at the time (not online – it was mainly in the NBR and its competitor at the time (??) The Independent (??)). It is afterall quite a traditional approach for parties to form in NZ.

          As far as I can see the only difference with DotCom is that he is doing it in public like Bob Jones did.

          • Pete George 9.1.2.1.1
            23 March 2014 at 7:25 pm

            I don’t recall any of the other part formations involving someone facing extradition, nor anyone forming a party who seemed to think that precipitating a change of government might help them avoid extradition.

            • lprent 9.1.2.1.1.1
              23 March 2014 at 11:11 pm

              Perhaps you should have a closer look at the actual political history in NZ (as opposed to your lack of facts). It isn’t hard to find any number of people since 1852 who’d been convicted or had crimes alleged in various jurisdictions and who were either MPs, worked for them, or were in major positions in political parties.

              For instance the interesting life of William Larnach that I have just been reading about – especially the allegations about the management of the Bank of Otago that arose in 1884.

              But I’m sure that you will attempt to redefine the bounds of the question to come out with your desired results..

              • Pete George …
                24 March 2014 at 6:19 am

                You mention facts and then only quote an allegation from 130 years ago.

                Obviously there are a wide variety of circumstances in the formation of parties over the century. The Brash takeover of ACT three years ago was one of the more bizarre.

                But Dotcom’s political ambitions are unique. He can’t stand himself so he is bankrolling anyone he can get to promote his interests – which seem to include protecting himself from extradition and trying to destroy John Key.

                Greens don’t think Dotcom will help the left. Labour seem to have become very wary, wisely.

                And the Mana connection move is as likely to be divisive as anything. Sue Bradford:

                “I would be extremely concerned if Mana was to go into any arrangement with Kim Dotcom because what I think he stands for is the anti-thesis of what Mana is about to me.”

                “It’s a left rangatiratanga party which had invited the tau iwi [Pakeha] left even though it is Maori-led and Maori-focused and in my political history it is the first time anything like that has happened and so I joined and stood for it in 2011.

                “In any way joining forces with a billionaire who is very likely a fraudster and under various legal challenges would really go against the kaupapa that I believe in.”

                “All this does not really one to think he is a person of credibility that a political party with mana in Aotearoa would want to be associated with.”

                From Dotcom show wears thin for Kiwis

                That also states that Brendan Horan has rejected any deal with Dotcom.

                And Shane Jones visited Dotcom late last year but “the discussion was limited to rap-music” (that sounds an odd claim).

                But neither of them are electorate MPs. Without names Dotcom’s claim are just political hot air.

                Dotcom seems to be trying to leverage off Mana and will need to take votes off Labour and Greens if he is to succeed. But he is most unlikely to install a friendly Minister of Justice, which would be ludicrous if they make the final decision on his extradition. I don’t think Labour would compromise themselves by taking any risks of being seen to have been bought off on this.

                Dotcom has a history of throwing money around to serve his own interests, and of trying to deal to anyone who doesn’t do as he wishes. So far being associated with him politically has had more risks than rewards. That’s likely to be how it remains.

      • bad12 9.1.3
        23 March 2014 at 12:17 pm

        Yeah, and then the ‘tight five’ abandoning Winston and NZFirst to go and prop up the National Government…

        • lprent 9.1.3.1
          23 March 2014 at 6:58 pm

          That one was more about favours methinks.

          • bad12 9.1.3.1.1
            23 March 2014 at 8:03 pm

            Definitely, and Tau Henare has dined out on those favors ever since…

            • swordfish 9.1.3.1.1.1
              23 March 2014 at 8:19 pm

              And do you remember a young fresh-faced Tau telling reporters in 1996 that he wouldn’t even remotely countenance NZ First going with National after the Election. The subtext was: Over my Dead Body.

              Ahhh, but those baubles of office……those beautiful, beautiful baubles of office………

      • swordfish 9.1.4
        23 March 2014 at 8:04 pm

        Yep, Lynn, and I remember political commentators assigning Matthewson to the Left faction of the Labour caucus in the immediate years before he jumped ship with the Elaborate Toupee from Ohariu. Supposedly an anti-Rogernome.

        Austin, on the other hand, was pure Rogernome through and through. What the fuck she was doing in the Labour Party in the first place is anyone’s guess.

  10. tricledrown 10
    23 March 2014 at 11:27 am

    Politicaly Gelded.
    By george your elongated absince from the standard hasn’t been much good for you.
    Pathetic Guile is your stock n trade.
    Kim Dotcom is way more rightwing than left libitarian would discribe his politics.
    More likely to hook up with David Whyte Act.
    Fact Checking pete george ha ha ha ha haw haw haw.

  11. Pete George 11
    23 March 2014 at 11:28 am

    Curran has ruled out joining Dotcom’s party.

    @clarecurranmp

    Just for the record people who know me know I am tribal Labour. It’s in my bones. Ruling myself out. Fascinating though.

    @Inventory2 a correction might be in order following your unfounded speculation.

    @Inventory2

    @clarecurranmp Is that a categorical denial?

    ‏@clarecurranmp

    @Inventory2 yes

    A current electorate MP like Curran would probably be committing political suicide by jumping to the Internet Party.

    They would lose the party support that got them elected, and in Curran’s Dunedin South electorate it would seriously risk splitting the Labour vote and making it much easier for National to win. That would be a double disaster.

    It would give Dotcom publicity for his party and may (or may not) help his party vote but, especially if unless a waka jumping electorate MP was very high on the Internet Party list, they would likely be sacrificing their own political career.

    • Turtle 11.1
      23 March 2014 at 8:32 pm

      Poor old Pete, you seem to have a rather unhealthy obsession with reporting any hearsay or rumor or other about Clare Curran.
      Why on earth do you think an electorate Labour MP, who incidentally has just been confirmed as Labours Dunedin South candidate for the next election, would suddenly jump into KDC’s party (no pun intended)?
      Seriously you must be deluded to even bother to buy into such a ridiculous rumor or even analyse it to the extent you have above.
      Good God man; Get a life.

      • Pete George 11.1.1
        23 March 2014 at 8:46 pm

        I didn’t think that. Read what I said. Why on earth indeed.

        Clare has also confirmed to me that there’s nothing to this claim (made by others). I’ve blogged on this. Clare agrees with what I’ve said.

    • Cancerman 11.2
      23 March 2014 at 11:49 pm

      So if we want to find the sitting electorate MP’s we have to think who could leave their party and still win their seat or who is an idiot? At least Labour could now have a chance to win back Te Tai Tokerau and then its just the Maori Party to defeat!

  12. tricledrown 12
    23 March 2014 at 11:32 am

    Pete George.
    Peter Dunne “has been” outed as the electorate Mp hooking up with Dot Con.

    • Pete George 12.1
      23 March 2014 at 11:43 am

      Can you point to anything that backs this up? Dunne denied any connection

      David Farrar ‏@dpfdpf

      @jamileeross @JudithCollinsMP @PeterDunneMP @winstonpeters @TrevorMallard @tauhenare Any of you defecting to Kim Dotcom party?

      ‏@PeterDunneMP

      @dpfdpf No

    • burt 12.2
      23 March 2014 at 11:45 am

      The windsock goes chasing cash … What do we call him now – a butterfly net ?

  13. burt 13
    23 March 2014 at 11:43 am

    I’m picking it’s Trevor Mallard. Having been promised $400,000 for mountain bike track funding and a return of KFC to the ‘village’ – why wouldn’t he !

  14. papa tuanuku 14
    23 March 2014 at 11:47 am

    Manipulation of the system without any grass roots involvement is plain manipulation. Mana – elected by the poorest voters – siding with the fulla that lives in the most expensive house in the country.

    • bad12 14.1
      23 March 2014 at 12:45 pm

      Yes papa, even IF there was any credibility to this blast of air, the perfect foil to take everyone’s minds off of the fact that Slippery the Prime Minister used the media and people of New Zealand in a cynical fraud,

      Pretending He was acting solely for ‘Charity’ as he milked the television news coverage of being ‘won’ in a ‘Charity Auction’ by Oravida owner Stone Shi when all the while the 50 odd grand that Shi coughed for this round of golf went straight into the coffers of the National Party is an ugly little fraud,

      Why do i make mention of this here in this Post, its simple, last week it was Shane Jones is jumping ship from Labour to NZFirst, simply bullshit as a distraction used by the likes of the Herald to turn everyone’s minds away from the ugly little conflict of interest Judith Collins is wrapped up in involving that same company Oravida,

      What we have here is another distraction, the people must have something good to read on a Sunday, which takes peoples minds off the facts surrounding the fraudulent use of ‘Charity’ to gain the PM maximum amounts of publicity as the good Kiwi bloke,when all the time the ‘Charity’ is the National Party,

      Hone can’t be so stupid as to take anyone from the proposed Internet Party into the Parliament with Him,(and probably Annette Sykes via a win in Waiariki), simply because the Mana Party kaupapa is diametrically opposed to that which drives Mr Kim DotCom,(we would like to think this at least),

      Should Hone take any of DotComs candidates into the Parliament the odds are more than even that during the term such people will have either been ‘bought off’ by you know who, or, simply have walked from Mana because of basic fundamental differences,

      The only such Alliance of the two Mana/DotCom that could possibly work without essentially killing the Mana Party support base would be for DotCom to provide finance and internet policy to Mana while Hone got to pick ALL MP’s, if there was any gained, from the Mana Party list,

      Having said all that i still see this as a distraction formulated by the wing-nuts, you only have to see what they do in the pages of the Standard to understand this, when pinned down on their lies they simply change the subject…

    • phillip ure 14.2
      23 March 2014 at 2:29 pm

      papa..

      ..why is ‘expensive house’/rich’ necessarily ‘bad’..?

      ..another example is gareth morgan wanting a universal basic income for all new zealanders..

      ..and being ‘relaxed’ about an increase in the top tax rate..

      ..not all wealthy people want to go around jumping on widows and orphans necks..

      ..in the gutter…

  15. drongo 15
    23 March 2014 at 12:38 pm

    KDC is nothing but a poisoned chalice, a true merchant of death for any politician involved with him.
    Horan, Norman and Harawhira should know better.

  16. aerobubble 16
    23 March 2014 at 12:58 pm

    If I were to start a political party what would look like.

    Well as NZ grows more mature, should we really be calling ourselves ‘NEW’ zealand. So the first platform would be to rename the country Aotearoa, put us at the top of the nation states and before Australia. 😉

    The this pirate flag debate, I’d say no to a black background, and no to a fern (for the simple reason that flags need to be mass produced and its to detailed). Simple stupid.

    As for a Republic, unless there is a upper chamber, why would we cut yet another check and balance to our democracy. The Republic debate has no integrity until it can meaningfully deal to concerns, like put present PM ability to choose a mate to run the secret services.

    An internet party sucks however, as its an internationalist party and who whats that.

  17. Tigger 17
    23 March 2014 at 2:38 pm

    Expending energy chasing anything that only exists as a claim by Dotcom is foolish.

  18. Tracey 18
    23 March 2014 at 3:34 pm

    pete geogfe is putting up a smokescreen for dunne. dunne has realised the importance of his privacy following the eagleston witch hunt at keys request and sees dotcom as the only person to have enough money to make it an important issue. he misses andrea and feeling needed.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 18.1
      23 March 2014 at 6:04 pm

      Dunne will claim he ‘arranged to meet Dotcom in a coffee shop but missed the appointment’

  19. Tracey 19
    23 March 2014 at 3:36 pm

    joking aside it has to be either someone who has won a seat or someone who can win him a seat. thats not horan in my opinion.

  20. James Growley 20
    23 March 2014 at 6:42 pm

    It is disappointing that any person or party who wants to attract the votes of ordinary decent hard working people would jump into bed with a German criminal. Kim Dot Com alias Kimble, alias Kim Tim Jim Vestor has already been convicted of computer fraud, data espionage, insider trading and embezzlement. Now, he wants to rort the system to save himself from extradition by buying his way to parliament.

  21. Te Reo Putake 21
    23 March 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Sorry for coming late to the party, but can I just call bullshit on Dotcom’s claims?

    There are only 3 MP’s that have parties so small and so reliant on the single MP to be of use to Dotcom. One is ACT and they are obviously happy being the african bird that gets its nutrient by pecking the dried crap around the arse of the elephant. Dunne is another, but again, his continued attachment to the teat of the state (thanks John Stansfield!) is also reliant on an ATM relationship with National.

    Hone has reasonable hopes of getting a second MP anyway, and has bugger all in common with Dotcom so doesn’t need the risk of the association. That’s not to say that advisors such as John Minto might be asking him to consider an alliance anyway. But, well, ….really?

    But the coup de grace on this can be found in the latest Roy Morgan poll where support for the internet party is a whopping 0.00%. Who would want to tie their future to a party that is already a flop? It’s hard enough getting an electorate seat already, even with the resources of an established party. Politicians may be venal, shifty and disloyal (and that’s just Peter Dunne), but they sure can count. Any kind of association with Kim Dotcom is a career ender.

    Just ask the Major: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0dyNnWJJUQ

    • Anne 21.1
      23 March 2014 at 8:36 pm

      +1 TRP.

    • McFlock 21.2
      23 March 2014 at 8:42 pm

      In other words: Internet tycoon makes massive claims about success of new venture as venture approaches first milestone – everyone is amazed.

    • Pete George 21.3
      23 March 2014 at 8:54 pm

      I mostly agree with this. The Herald have asked all parties and all but Mana claim that nothing’s happening between them and Dotcom.

      The Herald on Sunday spoke yesterday to representatives and MPs from all eight parties in Parliament, and to independent MP Brendan Horan. Only the Mana Party admitted having talked to Dotcom about an electoral accommodation.

      And an electoral accommodation doesn’t necessarily mean jumping from the Mana waka.

      Any current MP would be taking a bigger career risk going with Dotcom than staying where they are. For most it would be a much bigger risk. Why would they?

      If Dotcom names names and those names confirm then I’ll believe him. Until then I’m skeptical.

      • lprent 21.3.1
        23 March 2014 at 10:40 pm

        If I had to guess about which MPs are involved, then I’d looking at the numerous National MPs who have recently announced their (forced?) retirements from politics. Plus Horan of course.

  22. captain hook 22
    23 March 2014 at 9:16 pm

    stephen joyce.

  23. ian 23
    23 March 2014 at 9:17 pm

    there will be a very big party when Dotcom leaves our fair isle to prove his innocence in the big US of A.

  24. Adrian 24
    23 March 2014 at 11:18 pm

    Lprent, what about Colin King in Kaikoura, invisible but a big majority and very very pissed off about being rolled in a pretty untidy way.

  25. Clemgeopin 25
    24 March 2014 at 12:01 am

    This is a very interesting, important and intriguing story. I was a little surprised that the two political shows, the Nation and the Q and A as well as the six pm news on both channels did not mention this at all.

    If the story is true it will definitely make this a memorable and historic election. Remains to be seen if it adversely affect National, Labour, Greens or NZF.

    I do admire the tenacity and guts of Kim.dot com in fighting so hard in spite of such great odds and powers working against him.

  26. One Anonymous Bloke 26
    24 March 2014 at 7:46 am

    pg;dr

  27. karol 27
    24 March 2014 at 7:51 am

    From RNZ this morning:

    The Mana Party says a merger with Kim Dotcom’s Internet Party is not an option, but an arrangement involving a joint list and sharing the party vote, could be.

    Mana leader Hone Harawira said he met Mr Dotcom last month and had what he said was a general political discussion.

    Mana party secretary Gerard Hehir said a formal merger is not an option but there may be scope for an arrangement where they campaign together under an umbrella party, to take advantage of the combined party vote.

    No firm decisions will be made until the Internet Party is formally launched, which is expected to be on Thursday.

    I’m unclear how this is not, in practice, a merger. Semantics?

    I’d prefer Mana & the Internet Party remained totallt separate.

    • karol 27.1
      24 March 2014 at 8:07 am

      And Sue Bradford is of similar view to me (NZ Herald) – against any Mana-IntParty agreement.

      Tau Henare now a prime suspect.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 27.1.1
        24 March 2014 at 8:37 am

        Question: if Mana and the IP have similar policies, why shouldn’t they accommodate one another?

        Answer: you think the story will be about their policies?

        • phillip ure 27.1.1.1
          24 March 2014 at 11:59 am

          of course it will be about ‘policies’..

          ..if dotcom comes out with some libertarian/rightwing-wetdream for/of policies..

          ..of course they won’t be able to work together..

          ..but my understanding is that this is not the case..

          ..and some may be surprised at similar policy-goals..

          ..so really..rushes to judgement are somewhat premature..

          ..in the passage of not much more time..

          ..that policy-question will be answered..

      • phillip ure 27.1.2
        24 March 2014 at 11:54 am

        i had a wee chuckle over one aspect of sue’s reasoning..

        ..apparantly she doesn’t like that he has a conviction..somewhere..

        ..whereas..?

  28. Rodel 28
    25 March 2014 at 11:41 pm

    .Com is such a silly unreal name.Anyone know what his real name is (or was)?