Glenn Drops Letter Bombshell On Peters + Images

Wednesday, 27 August 2008, 11:03 am
Article: Kevin List

Owen Glenn Drops Letter Bombshell On Peters + Images

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The differing recollections of Owen Glenn and Winston Peters over a donation to assist Mr Peter's court costs in a failed 2005 electoral petition are potentially troubling for either the business world or New Zealand's standing in the world. Mr Glenn is a 'billionaire businessman' and Mr Peters is New Zealand's Foreign Minister.

Owen Glenn has revealed in a letter to the Privileges Committee that Winston Peters personally asked him for a $100,000 donation, and then thanked him once he received it.

Mr Glenn's recollections seem at odds with Mr Peters previous claims and evidence to the Privileges Committee that he had no knowledge of the donation until his lawyer Brian Henry advised him of it last month. The donation from expatriate businessman Glenn was made to Mr Henry in 2006 to help pay Mr Peters' legal costs after Mr Peters was unsuccessful in launching an electoral petition against current Tauranga MP Bob 'the builder' Clarkson.

Mr Peters said in a rebuttal letter it "does not coincide with my recollections" that he had personally requested the donation.

The donation is currently the focus of Parliament's Privileges Committee, which is looking into whether Mr Peters broke Parliament's rules by failing to declare the donation, which could be treated as a personal gift.

In his letter Mr Glenn asserts that Mr Peters had sought the donation from him.

"The payment was made by me to assist funding the legal costs incurred personally by Rt Hon Winston Peters MP concerning his election petition dispute, at his request.

"Mr Peters sought help from me for this purpose in a personal conversation, some time after I had first met him in Sydney.

"I agreed to help in the belief that this step would also assist the Labour Party in its relationship with Mr Peters. I supported the Labour Party."

He added that Mr Peters had then thanked him at the Karaka yearling sales in early 2006, and that he did not believe he had ever met or spoken to Mr Henry.

As well as stating that Mr Glenn is 'not factual' for alleging he requested assistance over his legal costs, Mr Peters further believed the "personal conversation" referred to by Mr Glenn was one that Mr Glenn had held with Mr Henry. Mr Peters also said he believed he had seen Mr Glenn while the two lunched at the same table at the 2007 Karaka sales, rather than in 2006.

Mr Peters said in his letter that he had not thanked him until after Mr Henry advised him of the payment on July 18 this year.

Simon Power, Committee chairman, today said the two statements were inconsistent, and that the committee would meet again to consider the matter on Thursday next week.

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ENDS

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