Posts Tagged ‘john banks’

RIP Penny Bright

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, October 5th, 2018 - 33 comments

Veteran Auckland political activist Penny Bright has died.

Dotcom’s open letter to Banks

Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, May 21st, 2015 - 59 comments

Last night Kim Dotcom released an open letter to John Banks.

John Banks; Conviction Quashed

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, May 19th, 2015 - 198 comments

John Banks has been acquitted of electoral fraud and his re-trial has been abandoned. Kim Dotcom has once again failed to follow through. Banks vs Goff in next year’s mayoralty race?

The real John Key?

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, August 20th, 2014 - 28 comments

Swearing is not often a major factor in the political debate. Yet John Key’s alleged use of the “f-word” seems to have assumed considerable significance in the run-up to election day in the light of the Slater debarcle. National has a lot invested in John Key’s nice guy facade.

“Banks vs Mud”

Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, May 19th, 2014 - 134 comments

John Banks murky past, including his metaphorical mud throwing at other politicians, came back to haunt him today: this as he headed into court to stand trial, accused of filing false electoral returns in an Auckland Mayoral campaign. Update: TVNZ report; Update #2: In court today

Scandals

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, March 13th, 2014 - 8 comments

Just a wee list to try and keep track of the current scandals our dear friends in the National party are dealing with.

In defence of Bevan Chuang

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, October 17th, 2013 - 283 comments

We have two politicians in trouble in New Zealand.  One is facing two years jail.  The other is facing opprobrium for inappropriate moral behaviour.  Of course the politician who breached the moral code is facing the most examination.  The character of the other woman has also been heavily scrutinised and commented on and she has gone into hiding.  Perhaps it is time that her wish for privacy is respected.

John Banks to stand trial

Written By: - Date published: 3:14 pm, October 16th, 2013 - 120 comments

John Banks is to stand trial for allegedly filing a false electoral return for his failed 2010 Auckland super-city mayoralty bid. It appears that the issue will be did he intend to treat the Dotcom donation as anonymous when clearly it was not. And John Key needs to reconsider Banks’ presence in cabinet as it is becoming increasingly untenable.
Update: Banks has stood down from his Ministerial portfolios.

John Banks and racism

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, July 30th, 2013 - 19 comments

At the moment there are plenty of racists trying to accuse Labour of racism. I might put together a post on the Iwi/Kwi Orewa Nats later on, but in the mean time I give you – John Banks.

Old Boys Club

Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, June 5th, 2013 - 36 comments

This speech follows Metiria Turei’s (previous post). In which John Banks (facilitated by Eric Roy) indulges in some good old fashioned Parliamentary sexism (first 2 minutes).

Epsom by election?

Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, May 3rd, 2013 - 73 comments

John Banks is in court to answer allegations over his Dotcom donations and electoral returns. If convicted he loses his seat. How would an Epsom by election play out?

Banks and Dunne vote down minimum wage

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, September 20th, 2012 - 51 comments

David Clark’s private member’s Bill to increase the minimum wage was voted down 61 to 59 last night. Shame on John Banks and Peter Dunne.

McCarten on Banks

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, July 29th, 2012 - 56 comments

Matt McCarten doesn’t pull any punches, comparing Banks to both Phillip Field and Winston Peters.

Kim Dotcom – John Banks Song

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, May 7th, 2012 - 48 comments

Amnesia is a song about the John Banks donation saga in New Zealand – from “MrKimDotcom” on YouTube. Help it go viral…

National’s big win

Written By: - Date published: 7:16 am, May 3rd, 2012 - 86 comments

Such was the magnitude of the Nat’s “big win” in 2011 that Key has to wake up every morning and do the numbers. His government hangs by a rotten thread. That rotten thread is John Banks.

Rhetoric and reality: Key’s principles

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, May 1st, 2012 - 42 comments

In 2008 John Key was loudly telling us about his high standards and principles. The Banks case is yet more proof that it was all a prattle of empty rhetoric.

Dodgy old Banksie

Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, April 28th, 2012 - 208 comments

It’s been revealed that Banks took fifty thousand dollars for his campaign from Kim Dotcom. Given the subsequent furore around Dotcom, the would be slightly embarrassing in its own right but it’s been considerably exacerbated by the fact it came in two separate payments – as requested by Banks so he could keep the donation anonymous.

Better write those cheques, Len & John

Written By: - Date published: 6:31 am, April 5th, 2012 - 81 comments

Update: Labour had accused Banks of not declaring the $15,000 donation from SkyCity as required under local government electoral law. The law is strict. If he is charged and convicted he’ll be kicked out of Parliament. Key will have to take his portfolios if Banks didn’t declare the money.

The puppet Act

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, December 5th, 2011 - 163 comments

Funny how John Banks has got so much more out of his coalition deal with National than Peter Dunne did despite Dunne having more leverage than Banksie.

It’s almost like National wanted to pack all of their hard right policy into Act’s deal so they could employ it without dirtying themselves.

What gains for Nat support “parties”?

Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, December 5th, 2011 - 75 comments

Coalition agreements are expected to be signed today, with Ministerial roles expected for both Dunne and Banks.  But it is the details of the policy gains that will tell us the mettle of these two.  Did they achieve anything significant with their negotiating power?

Unlucky Banks

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, October 30th, 2011 - 28 comments

Jeez some people just can’t catch a break. Not only is John Banks coming second in an election race to a guy specifically chosen to lose to him but now the word is some scoundrel’s stolen his Harley Davidson.

Banks desperate

Written By: - Date published: 12:54 pm, October 6th, 2010 - 60 comments

As it goes down to the wire in Auckland, John Banks’ desperation is on full display.  It’s not a pretty sight.  Banks seem to have nothing to offer but negative campaigning, personal attacks, and South Auckland dogwhistles.  He deserves to lose.

Banks and the South Auckland bashers

Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, October 2nd, 2010 - 27 comments

John Banks has made bashing South Auckland part of his campaign “strategy”.  That didn’t work out so well for Melissa Lee, and it won’t work out so well for others that are now trying the same tactic…

John Banks – another Melissa Lee

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, October 1st, 2010 - 74 comments

John Banks has been slagging off South Auckland.  Ooops.  That’s the same mistake that Melissa Lee made in the Mt Albert by election.  The same mistake deserves the same fate.  Banks cannot credibly operate as mayor of the SuperCity.

Desperation from Banks team

Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, September 14th, 2010 - 32 comments

John Banks’ team really jumped the shark yesterday with their bizarre ‘poll tax’ attack on Len Brown. Banks claimed Brown was proposing a Thatcher-style poll tax to fund the Supercity instead of rates. Of course, Brown is proposing no such thing – he is saying we should look at replacing rates with income tax. Desperate, Banksie, desperate.

Sucking up to Banksie

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, July 31st, 2010 - 17 comments

I know that The Herald likes to campaign for the Right, but surely this overdose of sucking up to “Banksie” sets new records?

Brown for democracy

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 30th, 2010 - 25 comments

I’d vote Brown for Mayor of the Supercity. He got me with his first big policy announcement, to strengthen the role of local boards in Auckland.

That puts the ball in John Banks’ court. Will there a bidding war to restore local democracy?

A flower too far?

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, July 14th, 2010 - 14 comments

John Banks has put his foot in it again, and his sanctimonious claims about ratepayers’ money are looking ever more hypocritical. But I don’t want to know how much other politicians are spending on flowers, I really don’t care. I think the pendulum has swung too far in terms of examining the minute of the spending of public figures.

The Right unravels in Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, July 4th, 2010 - 43 comments

Things really are getting desperate for the Right in the super-mayor race. National and its allies keep up the attack but the public aren’t buying. Now, John Banks’ campaign is facing more right-wing candidates and is crapping itself that Stephen Tindell might enter the race.

Auditor-General shoots down Nats’ Brown smears

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, June 25th, 2010 - 51 comments

With the supercity campaign of their handpicked man, John Banks, in tatters, the Nats have desperately tried to smear Len Brown. Now, the Auditor-General has found there is nothing to warrant investigation. I doubt we’ll be waiting long until the next smear will be from the Nats, because they sure as hell don’t have any other shot at winning.

Transcript: John Banks to Colin Craig

Written By: - Date published: 11:06 pm, June 22nd, 2010 - 5 comments

John Banks’ supercity mayor campaign is failing. A month of smears hasn’t worked. The rot is so deep competition from the Right is emerging. The guy who spent $100 per marcher on on the anti-smacking march, Colin Craig, looks set to run. I’ve obtained a copy of the transcript of Banks’ call to Craig when he heard the news.