19 Sep 2014

Kim Dotcom helped campaign - Joyce

3:40 pm on 19 September 2014

National's campaign chair, Steven Joyce, says he believes the Moment of Truth event hosted by the Internet Party founder Kim Dotcom has actually helped, rather than damaged National's campaign.

Internet Party leader Laila Harre, lawyer for Glenn Greenwald Robert Amsterdam, journalist Glenn Greenwald and Internet Party founder Kim Dotcom.

Internet Party leader Laila Harre, lawyer for Glenn Greenwald Robert Amsterdam, journalist Glenn Greenwald and Internet Party founder Kim Dotcom. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

This week, the American journalist Glen Greenwald and the fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden claimed the New Zealand Government was carrying out illegal mass surveillance on its citizens. The Government has repeatedly denied this.

Mr Joyce was today asked for his opinion on Mr Dotcom and the influence he has had on the campaign.

"In a funny way, I don't think he's been that unhelpful to our campaign. He has actually probably helped demonstrate the sort of instability and difficulties that the other side has. One of the polls this week suggests that we've actually had a positive lift as a result of Monday night."

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