John Banks made every effort to keep "politically sensitive" donations to his mayoralty bid secret, the Crown says, but Banks' lawyer argues he had nothing to gain from that.

A National MP says he was concerned by an "aggressive" Kim Dotcom at a function, threatening to bring down Act Party MP John Banks and the National Government.

TV3 news is no longer allowed to show footage from John Banks' trial for airing a clip that appeared to show him eating something he picked out of his ear.

John Banks says he has no memory of SkyCity's boss handing him a cheque for his failed Auckland mayoral campaign and denies telling Kim Dotcom to keep his donation secret.

Mona Dotcom walked into court flanked by a bodyguard, but she was left to fend for herself inside as she was accused of saying what her estranged husband told her too.

Kim Dotcom told the High Court at Auckland yesterday he is not making up stories about donations to John Banks' failed 2010 Auckland mayoralty bid.

Accusations of dishonesty have flown back and forth at John Banks' trial for filing a false electoral return, as Kim Dotcom denied he made up stories about the MP.

The Act Party and the Conservatives have received large donations from their wealthy benefactors ahead of the September election, the latest party returns show.

Labour's support has sunk nearly six points and it is polling only 29.5 per cent in the Herald-DigiPoll survey.

Prime Minister John Key says he will consider the Act Party's proposal to make burglary a three-strikes offence.

Peter Bromhead's take on the recent comments made by Act's new leader.

The man regarded as the "godfather" of the Act Party, multimillionaire businessman Alan Gibbs, flew in yesterday to urge the party to think more radically.

Act leader Jamie Whyte has acknowledged he made a mistake in answering questions about incest this week.

"What a difference a new leader and three weeks makes," Mr Prebble said of Jamie Whyte at the party conference in Mangere.

If you're looking for a textbook example of how not to launch a political career, it's hard to go past Act's Jamie Whyte, writes Paul Thomas.

New Act leader Jamie Whyte has back-tracked on comments that incestuous relationships between consenting adults should not be illegal.

Act's leader is standing by his comments that incestuous relationships between consenting adults should not be illegal, even though he is "very opposed" to it.

Editorial: For Act to make a fresh start it needs to come up with new and innovative policies. Reviving its flat-tax policy doesn't fit that bill.

Who better than Prebble to spot a potential wedge between National and Act and create a groundswell in favour of raising the superannuation age, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Former Act leader Richard Prebble says the party will have to raise well over $1 million to fight the 2014 election campaign that he has been appointed to direct.

A bunch of colleagues from the Press Gallery yesterday were showered with a suite of insults by NZ First leader Winston Peters on his way into Parliament, writes Audrey Young.

In electing a philosopher as its new leader, perhaps Jamie Whyte's party can foster genuine debate and ideas, write Patricia and David Schnauer.

Surely the scandal of school donations should have been Ms Parata's focus this week, rather than a bloated taskforce set up to appease the ideological sensibilities of Act, writes Brian Rudman.

Editorial: Act's new leader could do worse than look across the House to the Greens, polar opposites in political philosophy but occupying a similar tactical position.