Career criminal Arthur Taylor says the Prime Minister breached electoral rules on election day last year, because the National Party's youth branch shared a video of him on social media, encouraging people to vote.
Arthur Taylor in the High Court at Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker-Wilson
The High Court in Auckland this morning began a three-day hearing of Taylor's claim that John Key's election result in Helensville should be overturned.
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Taylor, representing himself, said Mr Key was ultimately responsible for the Young Nats sharing the video, an action he argued was a breach of the rule against interfering with or influencing voters on election day.
He also argued the inmates of Auckland Prison, which is in the Helensville electorate, were denied their voting rights as prisoners were not allowed to vote by law.
Mr Key's lawyer, Peter Kiely, told the court Taylor's petition had no reasonable chance of success and could not substantiate his claims about Mr Key's candidacy in the Helensville electorate.
He said Taylor was of no standing to challenge the result of the Helensville election, and the court should dismiss his petition.