A day after his former friend Kim Dotcom made a surprise visit to parliament, ACT leader John Banks has re-emerged - joking to media that he was absent a day earlier because he was "raising funds".
Dotcom visited parliament on Wednesday and sat in the public gallery during question time.
Mr Banks had been expected to attend question time but was absent after news of Dotcom's visit broke, with a spokeswoman saying he had "other commitments".
The pair were close when Dotcom made a $50,000 donation to Mr Banks' Auckland mayoral campaign in 2010 - which Mr Banks declared as anonymous in his campaign returns.
But things soured earlier this year when Mr Banks said he could not recall the donation and that he hardly knew Dotcom.
On his way to the debating chamber on Thursday, Mr Banks attempted to use humour to answer questions about Dotcom's visit.
"He didn't ring and tell me he was coming," he told media.
"I was out doing what I do best, and that's raising funds. Just joking."
Asked if he would have expected a phone call because of their past friendship, Mr Banks said, "Everything that needs to be said has been said."
On Wednesday, Dotcom told media it was "time to move on".
"John Banks has been through enough and I think it's enough, it should go to rest," he said.
"It's a very fragile majority, the balance of power is threatened by the John Banks affair so I think the prime minister has had to make a choice: am I going to uphold high ethical standards or do I want to remain in power?"
Dotcom says he decided to tell the media about his donations after Mr Banks refused to help him when he was in Mt Eden Prison earlier this year.
Dotcom was in Wellington for a Court of Appeal hearing on Thursday, at which the United States government was appealing a court order that they must disclose evidence of their internet piracy case against Dotcom to his legal team ahead of an extradition hearing next year.
NZN