Owen Glenn's letter to the Priveleges Committee

Mr Simon Power MP
Chairperson Privileges Committee
House of Representatives
Parliament Buildings WELLINGTON

19 August 2008

RE: Complaint concerning my donation to Rt Hon Winston Peters MP

Dear Mr Power,

I refer to your letter of 19 August 2008 concerning what I understand originated as a complaint made by Mr Rodney Hide MP. I do not know Mr Hide. I have not had any communication with him.

I am happy to cooperate with you about the $100,000 payment that I instructed to be made on or about 20 December 2005, which I believe was to the practice account of Mr BP Henry, an Auckland barrister, detailed below.

I wish to make no comment on any of the seven matters listed in the bullet points in your letter. I can provide a statement of the facts concerning the payment. I do not wish this letter to be treated as being private or secret. The facts of the matter are simple. I am happy for them to be public information.

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.

I have never made any donation to the New Zealand First Party. I declined an earlier request to do so.

I understand that Mr Henry is Mr Peters' lawyer. I do not know Mr Henry. I do not believe that we have met. I do not recall that I, or my assistants, had any discussion or communication with Mr Henry other than to receive remittance details. I expected to receive those details, following my agreement to assist Mr Peters meet his legal costs. My office was given bank account details for payment ASB #123030 Acc# 0678019-50 BP Henry Practice Account, Remuera Branch.

The payment instruction on my Westpac account was given accordingly, on my authority.

Mr Peters subsequently met me socially at the Karaka yearling sales, I believe in early 2006. He thanked me for my assistance.

I also consider it prudent that I take legal advice in New Zealand. I have requested a Wellington barrister Dr GJ Harley to assist me with your enquiry and with any other that my follow. If there are any other particular matters that you would like me to address, please let me know what they are.

Because I travel frequently, email communication is the most convenient and effective for me. I am happy to answer any further questions in correspondence.

Yours faithfully, Owen G. Glenn