There is an interesting contrast developing between the cases of Kim Dotcom and Bill Liu.
They are both similar in many ways. Foreigners with money, obtained according to media reports through illegal and/or immoral methods…both seeking a home in New Zealand and both bestowing patronage upon politicians in order to gain favours and sway.
At that point the comparison needs to shift from the monied foreign influencers attempting to buy influence in order to pervert laws, regulations and politicians onto the politicians that were supplied with the cash to smooth that perversion.
It seems that John Banks said no…when the requests became too much. Labour on the other hand seems to have supplied many politicians who not only were bought off but actually delivered the goods that the donor was wanting.
Labour has made much of calling John Banks corrupt, when the real descriptor should possibly be inept. But so far they haven’t squawked at their more apparent corruption and involvement with the Bill Liu case.
Kim Dotcom got nothing other than a private citizen asking a minister to consider the case of his immigration favourably. That minister said no.
Bill Liu though had many politicians lobbying, and several ministers acting with alacrity and against official advice.
David Shearer has been quick to call for people to stand aside and resignations for John Banks, but not so quick in holding his own to account. Perhaps he is worried because it appears on the evidence thus far that only David Cunliffe acted properly when faced with a conflict of interest.
David Fisher too has none nothing about the Bill Liu case but enthusiastically reports the price of fruit baskets. So far the credits in the media go to the Dompost journalists, including Dana Levy who are actually reporting the news.
Both Kim Dotcom and Bill Liu thought that donations and influence worked the same way as where they are from. John Banks told Kim Dotcom that wasn’t the case and as a result he has been smeared three ways from Sunday in the media. Labour played ball with Bill Liu and so they must now suffer the consequences politically of enabling a corrupt Asian businessman to gain entry and citizenship in a manner that does not look good for them or the country that had prided itself on being the least corrupt int he world.
