Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader
18 April 2012

Nats Funded By Sky City Before Pokie Machine Deal Struck

The National Party received $60,000 from Sky City before the shonky convention centre for pokie machines deal was announced.

Official party donation returns also show that United Future and John Banks, during his 2010 Auckland mayoralty bid, both received funding from Sky City.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the Key-brokered deal to allow Sky City to install up to 500 extra pokie machines if the casino funds an Auckland Convention Centre gets murkier by the minute.

“The National Party received $60,000 from Sky City Management Ltd in 2005, while United Future received $12,000 in the same year.

“During the 2010 Auckland mayoralty race, John Banks was given $15,000 by the casino. Mr Banks is now the ACT party leader and a Government minister.

“These three parties which received donations from Sky City are the same ones that can ensure the Key-deal gets a majority in Parliament,” says Mr Peters.

“This just looks like payback time for Sky City as the National-led government hands out favours to its big business chums while ignoring the social costs of problem gambling.”

Mr Peters says the National Party has also pumped money into Sky City which it has used as venue for party events.

“The National Party used Sky City for its campaign launch in 2005, and it was the election night headquarters for John Key in 2008 and 2011.

“It should also be noted that the National Party campaign manager in 2005 was Steven Joyce who this year has been defending the pokie machine deal as Minister of Economic Development,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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