The Dotcom Party

The Herald reports:

Prime Minister John Key has dismissed as a stunt Kim Dotcom’s plans to begin a political party.

The Herald on Sunday reported yesterday that the internet mogul was planning to start a political party with the aim of gaining the 5 per cent of the vote required to get into Parliament.

Dotcom told the paper “It is much too early to say anything about a new political party”, but later tweeted “My embryonic NZ political plans leaked by whistleblower. Still looking for partners. Not ready yet”.

I think it is a great idea to splinter the anti-Govt vote.

However Mr Dotcom may have overlooked one problem. He is ineligible to be an MP.

S47(1) of the Electoral Act states:

Regardless of anything in subsection (1), a person is not qualified to be a candidate or to be elected unless he or she is a New Zealand citizen.

In 2002 an MP was disqualified after it emerged she was not a citizen. Kelly Chal was provisionally elected on 2002 election night for United Future but then disqualified as a candidate and MP after they realised she was not a citizen.