Given that Slater scooped them before they were ready, not hugely surprising.

Would that be Metiria Ture ?

Apparently it wasn't exactly the intention to begin with. Jones was more trying to split Muldoon's vote by way of the vagaries of FPP.

Actually, he won't as he needs to be a citizen, not just a resident.

Personally, I’m torn between the view that amateurs shouldn’t expect politics is…

You mean personal aggrandisement without regard for anything else? Or did you miss the implosion of the wikileaks party before the Australian election, largely as a result of the two Assange's treating the party as their personal toy? I'd hope that…

My comment was about the view I might form of this party based on its policies (if it actually has any). :)

It's far better than the advice he's paid for however.

I assumed his motivation was comparable with Julian Assange's.

because he realises the impact of increasing regulatory/spying activity on anyone's ability to do just that?

My comment was about the impossibility of Internet voting at this election.

I wonder whether if Mega gets to over 1%, Labour might gift them a seat. Then he'll have an MP in place and be able to make a few minor demands (file lockers excluded from scope of…

Um ... quick trivia:…

But...they weren't even funny when I was a yoof. Maybe when my parents were yoofs that joke might have been fresh. Dotcom is at least a new joke.…

Or merely a far better legal team than another, so that their "party meeting with free entertainment" is deemed…

(Even though such corruption isn't even possible. When "treating" was…

OK, so Kim Dotcom is just Bob Jones for hipsters? Good to know.

It seems the electoral commission’s policy on treating is related to
1. how big is your party
2. how…

Whatever it is, it's not going to affect this election.

I've definitely seen it. United Future bought some ad space (and a blog post) on Kiwiblog last year. And I'm sure other parties have bought internet ads as well.

Possibly not, but they might all sign a petition stating that they should be allowed to vote online.

Come to think of it, has anyone seen any hints of what the Internet Party’s policy (if any) might actually be towards Online Voting,…

I guess this is what not paying him $8,000 a month gets you.

poem in that

How's that different to a sponsored WiFi service?

and good luck with that, given the venue's capacity

being the largest concentration of voters (and non-voters) it's likely to feature heavily.

Dotcom warned over party plan

The Electoral Commission says it warned internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom that his birthday and album release party could break electoral law.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr Dotcom cancelled the free party for about 25,000 people scheduled for Auckland's Vector Arena on Monday.

The…

Worth noting fundraisers are obviously legal 'cause you aren't giving anything away --- the reverse in fact.

Traditional party rallies are seen as legal, because the purpose is to promote the party and its policies through a fun event.

Bribery or treating would seem to require some sort of explicit or tacit understanding that…

I imagine that the Electoral Commission will continue consider that an event which is primarily political in nature, and which features entertainment as a minor part, is a political…

One of many good reasons to keep ballot box voting. We (collectively, as a species) seem to have forgotten that technology is not the answer to everything and some things actually don't need to be fixed.

Me too, but given some of the laws that have made it through our parliament, I'm not certain...

It's a function of the industry I work in that I meet dozens of young, straight, pākehā men who can best be described as "cyberlibertarians" (as Craig describes above.)…

So it seems that the Electoral Commission are the source of the legal advice?

I'm guessing it went like this:
– Party yay
– Whaleoiil leak with free wifi detail
– "Free wifi…

I would imagine the electoral law drafters would have thought of election year.

Although with the current ridiculous enthusiasm for internet voting, vote-buying could make a comeback – it's as easy…

A different issue, surely. I'd've thought the point of a fundraisery party would be to raise funds for the party, whereas treating is about giving things to voters in exchange for their vote.

Well, I've not long finished the second of two media interviews about the party party, so it will be pretty obvious that Kim Dotcom has someone who is not me as his lawyer. I have heard through the media that it is Chen…

Rich's point is interesting though – aren't there fundraisery party things from, erm, parties quite regularly? Is it a question of focus/intent/marketing what?

Given the scale of that group last time, you'd think.

Problem is that Trotter, Pagani et al think voters stayed home cos they're redneck plumbers waiting for Labour…

Indeed. I’ve always thought it’s better for Labour & the Greens to get out the non-vote – difficult as it is – instead of pandering…

This one.

Part of the aim is to attract the people who don't usually vote. I think that makes more sense than trying to win over National voters.

FROM KIM DOTCOM:

I apologize, my friends. Sadly we must cancel my birthday party after we received advice that the event could risk breaching electoral laws.

Because the tickets were free, we were advised that the purpose of the…

Ok, I strained my memory but came up blank...

Will those 15,000 young people vote at all? If Kim had 15,000 old people turning up, that would signal large-scale change.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if the CCCP dusts off the infamous Trevor Rogers bill.

Fair point. And certainly I agree with Bradbury’s entirely reasonable point that Gen Ys Nats will be put off by the prospect of Colin Craig’s influence. I was, somewhat hamfistedly,…

He is a canny and natural politician.

Dare I say it,…

The guy has 15,000 young people turning up to his album launch party on Monday. I think he has ways.

I really do think that a lot of people — including Whaleoil, who…

Can we stop using centre like that. Children might pick up bad habits.

I’m picking that’s the high tide mark for Bradbury.

If this ‘splash’ was what was sought by Dotcom, his problem isn’t his consultant, it’s his ambition.

Sounds like a classic case of “either you’re with me or you’re with the filthy Reds under the bed”.

Now it's all about this Ede fellow.

1. The advice is awful. It's hackneyed, unimaginative and isn't likely to cut through beyond the choir to whom KDC already preaches; and
2. $8k a month is bugger all. You get what you pay for.

So KDC has done well to not sign-up to it. Having said…

He certainly has. The amusing part is when you look at his previous, highly supportive writing about Dotcom and his predicament. See the pics. Imagine the communications from Judith Collins’ office.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Pirate_Party

Fair enough. I thought the "refused to talk" and "constant refrain" parts were somewhat unfair to you.

Because they value the gifts…

I did not feel that Cameron’s reporting about me in any way suggested any impropriety. His reporting seems…

Thanks. Interesting.

I can understand the need for $3k of Edgelering.

Before during or…

Pot meets kettle when the Oily One turns a blind eye to the legalised gerrymander known as the Epsom electorate. If it is indeed subterfuge, maybe it's a…