14 Sep 2012

Discussions between Dotcom and Banks revealed

10:30 am on 14 September 2012

Prime Minister John Key says he still has confidence in ACT leader and government minister John Banks.

Police paperwork has shed new light on discussions between internet millionaire Kim Dotcom and Mr Banks about donations to his 2010 mayoral campaign.

Police found there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Banks for donations worth tens of thousands of dollars he solicited from Sky City and Mr Dotcom but did not disclose because they were deemed anonymous.

Some 126 pages of evidence have been made public. In sworn police affadavits released under the Official Information Act, Mr Dotcom claims John Banks said he wanted to help him and could do so more effectively if no one knew about the donation.

The claim is repeated in the evidence of Mr Dotcom's head of security Wayne Tempero.

Mr Key says in his view, nothing has changed and he still backs his minister.

When asked if Mr Banks' claim not to have known the source of the donation is still credible, Mr Key replied he had not broken the law.

Mr Banks has been present in Parliament for the last two sitting days, but was absent on Thursday.

He is refusing to comment on the contents of the police file or on Opposition calls for him to be sacked as a minister.

Labour Party leader David Shearer said Mr Banks should come clean, while deputy leader Grant Robertson said the papers show Mr Banks has a total disrespect for the law and should not be in the Cabinet.