Dotcom's lawyer, Opposition question Key's Hollywood trip

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Lawyer, Opposition question Key's trip

3News NZ

Prime Minister John Key (file)

Prime Minister John Key (file)

By 3 News online staff

Kim Dotcom's US lawyer and the Opposition are questioning the timing of the Prime Minister’s visit to Hollywood while the Megaupload case is before the court.

John Key will travel to the United States and visit six major Hollywood studios to convince producers they should make films here in New Zealand.

He says the film industry contributes about $3 billion a year to the economy and he's looking out for jobs for New Zealanders.

The Government has been criticised for being too quick to appease the Americans, following the raid on Dotcom, who's wanted in America for alleged internet piracy.

Mr Key's 48-hour trip includes a private dinner with Avatar director, James Cameron, and a meeting with the motion picture association of America.

Opposition party leaders say Mr Keycould be compromised by the Dotcom saga.

Labour leader David Shearer says the people Mr Key will meet are the ones who put pressure on US authorities to extradite Dotcom so he can face charges of copyright piracy.

"There's a real danger that he looks like he's following up on US interests in having Dotcom extradited," Mr Shearer says.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says the timing of the visit is "a bit unfortunate given the whole Dotcom affair is driven by the US government".

Mr Key says the trip was organised about three months ago and his critics are "conspiracy theorists living in a fantasy land".

He doesn't expect any of the movie executives he meets will raise the Dotcom case with him.

Mr Key says he won't be offering any special deals but he will push the big budget film grant and the tax rebates that ensured Warner Bros made the Hobbit movies in New Zealand.

"We're not bringing anything new to the table, we haven't got any money," he said.

3 News / NZN

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Comments

2/10/2012 10:37:57 p.m.

Doug wrote:

Initially I thought the tagline was referring to John Key's grip, sorry, my mistake.

2/10/2012 7:02:56 p.m.

john wrote:

No mention if the Govt sign the indemnity order? whos going to pay for the dealing of Hollywood and NZGovt?

2/10/2012 6:47:30 p.m.

Mike wrote:

Dotcrim has a criminal record on two continents with a 3rd trying to extradite him.

His record stands for itself. That of Megauploads 4 members that were arrested in January, his is the best shouts volumes.

Even now, Dotcrim was spied upon for his involvement with Megaupload. Now Megaupload has never had NZ residency. so what we have is a convicted crim, self confessed hacker and criminal, doing his best to avoid justice in the US as even dotcrim thinks he is guilty of breaking US laws.

2/10/2012 5:16:25 p.m.

Stop Key's Zombie Army wrote:

Hollywood has a terrible reputation for trashing natural environments and exploiting cheap extra-territorial labour forces. Key should be building the local film industry by supporting local film-makers, instead of selling New Zealand for a pittance to Hollywood.

2/10/2012 4:52:53 p.m.

dennis wrote:

To @VICKI: Yep, with his band of men. and @MIKE B : So he not just a "criminal" but he's a common one now. Well, if common ones need two helicopters should we buy a whole lot more of them and lots of guns too? And, again it is against the law to slander

2/10/2012 4:26:56 p.m.

dennis wrote:

Go Jan. But don't blame Mr Key for everything. After all, he can only act on what he knows. Just like the District Court Judge wasn't, told about guns and helicopters to be used against Dotcom's family and friends, I bet

2/10/2012 2:59:23 p.m.

Mal wrote:

@VICKI. I hope hope the Media keep at it. We want the truth. Name one good thing JK has done for NZ that wasnt botched up. He needs to go. NOW.

2/10/2012 2:52:06 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

As a traditional National Party supporter Vicky I am not over it. I question the compentence of John Key to lead the country if he cant lead our intelligence services. I question a great many of the non comittal answers he gave when being questioned, such as were other spy agencies involved such as the SIS, and did they brief him before he told the public that he said he knew. I question the capabilities of a man who when he first came to parliament hounded Helen Clark and Winston Peters over the Owen Glenn scandal, yet sits quietly and does nothing about John Banks which is exactly the same situation. Key promised accountability yet he has given the general public none. I wont be hoodwinked by this man again unless he shows me that he has nothing to hide by ordering an independent inquiry of not just the GCSB's actions but his own as well including the inaction he has taken over John Banks. How can we trust a man with such huge double standards?.

2/10/2012 1:56:34 p.m.

Jay wrote:

The timing of this with the Dotcom thing is a little suspicious. Maybe Key is going there to bow to Hollywood over the issues, maybe not. But there is another big problem with Key's trip. Our Prime Minister should have more dignity than to go to personally negotiate with and attempt to entice film producers. This is demeaning for the country.

2/10/2012 12:00:26 p.m.

Mike B wrote:

Well said Vicki. Dotcom is a common criminal and should never have been allowed into this country. The pathetic opposition have now latched onto this and will ride it forever! All this proves again is that we do not have any decent worthwhile opposition in this country.