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for that month, if you wanted to get something done, if you wanted to fix the driveway … one month, game over. No one. Nothing. Everything shuts down completely. It is the only place in the world that I know that does that. It is the over-all Kiwi attitude. It is more laid back. It has its positives, but it also explains why New Zealand has never taken off as a business place, because people here don’t think like the rest of the world. They are a little bit more relaxed with everything.”

As the mansion expanded to meet the family’s needs, the Dotcoms were also exposed to another cultural wrinkle — the Kiwi unfamiliarity with the concept of professional service. The mansion employed about 50 staff — butlers, cleaners, cooks, gardeners, nannies and security guards along with contractors. There was even a specialist to care for the exotic fish in the long aquarium which ran the length of the kitchen. The size of the staff was unusual for any private house in New Zealand — and as unusual for the staff as it was anyone. The concept of “service” as a trade wasn’t the Kiwi way, although it was the Dotcoms’ expectation.

“They were all over-paid — I am always generous. They had really good pay but they would always find a reason to fight with each other. There were always conflicts and there was always this desire by some people to have a higher position, to be the boss of others. And once they had that they totally abused that, over-reaching in their power.

“I’m a guy who is always pro-harmony. I want people to be happy. I give them bonuses. Whenever they ask me for something, I say yes. They want extra days off or holiday? I’ve never been a difficult boss. What I got in return was all this nonsense. All these issues, all the problems, created by themselves in their heads. When you listen to their issues, you go: ‘That’s not really an issue — why am I sitting here listening to this for half an hour?’ ”

It created a difficult atmosphere around the home. Staff tensions were a constant factor, with the Dotcoms being called on to mediate disputes. Those working there, Dotcom believed, became focused on the internal contest for authority or opportunity, leaving them “demotivated and unhappy in their work place”.

“I had meetings every other month with some members of the housekeeping staff wanting to see me and sit down with me because they were unhappy with their boss and they were unhappy with that person. It was always an atmosphere of negativity. No one was just happy with their job and doing what they were supposed to do. They were also looking for a reason to fight, almost.”

Plans for renovations became caught up in squabbling among staff and contractors. Dotcom said the project became delayed and started late because “they were fighting and they were blaming each other”.

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