It just gets worse for Winston Peters. Conformation in the email below that Peters has lied to the media over the secret donations made by Owen Glenn to his NZ First Party surely must mean he should step down from his role as part of the minority Labour Government.
Like the Labour Party, Peters wanted the Glenn donations kept secret for some reason and he lied to the public to maintain that secrecy.
I guess the old adage is true, you lie down with dogs and you get fleas.
5:00AM Saturday July 12, 2008
By Audrey Young
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Controversy over secret political funding is likely to be reignited by private emails that suggest Labour's biggest donor also gave money to NZ First.
The emails suggest repeated denials by Foreign Minister Winston Peters that his New Zealand First Party received a donation from businessman Owen Glenn appear to be incorrect.
A private email from Mr Glenn to his public relations man in New Zealand says he did give the party a donation.
Mr Peters was last night sticking by his story, saying through a spokesman that Mr Glenn had not given the party money - "he did not" - but he refused any other comment.
The conflicting stories raise credibility issues, as Mr Peters produced a large "NO" sign at a press conference soon after questions of a donation to his party arose.
Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to comment last night.
While she has sacked ministers for incorrect comments, they have been Labour ministers. She runs a minority Government, relying on New Zealand First in confidence and supply votes. With an election less than five months away, she would want to avoid any conflict with Mr Peters.
The email exchange between Mr Glenn and PR man Steve Fisher, managing director of Baldwin Boyle, occurred in February this year when the Monaco-based businessman was visiting New Zealand to open the Owen G. Glenn building at the Auckland University Business School.
Mr Fisher emailed Mr Glenn on February 21 about a Herald story on the businessman's donations to political parties. He was concerned that Mr Glenn and Mr Peters continued to give the same story.
Mr Glenn, in his reply to Mr Fisher, disclosed that he gave to the party.
Steve Fisher: Our plan worked well. There is nothing new about you in here Owen. Note that Winston says you have never made a donation to NZ First, so at all costs you must stick to that line. It was definitely the right thing to do to deny the Maori party offer as well.
Owen Glenn: Steve - are you saying I should deny giving a donation to NZ First?? When I did?
Steve Fisher: No, just stick to the line of referring stuff to NZ First. What I'm saying is we don't want to contradict Winston.
Last night, Mr Glenn was in Monaco, and when asked why he had not said in February that he gave money, he said: "I made a decision not to say anything to anybody because there was so much controversy about everything. I was just there to open the business school so I just didn't want to get caught up in anything ... I elected not to say anything."
He also expressed disappointment at the fuss made over his political donations, saying: "I just don't find New Zealand a very friendly place and it's unlikely I will go back."
When Mr Glenn was in New Zealand in February, he also said he was hoping to be appointed the country's honorary consul in Monaco - a decision that would have been made by Mr Peters as Foreign Minister.
Dail Jones, NZ First party president at the time and now a list MP, fuelled speculation of a donation to his party when he told the Herald during Mr Glenn's visit that a large anonymous donation - "closer to $100,000" than $10,000 - had appeared in the party's accounts last December. condemning
But Mr Peters said the money was an aggregation of smaller donations.
Related Political Animal readingWinston Peters got secret donations from Owen Glenn
Snouts in the trough bent out of shape
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best
c Political Animal 2008
