Businessman Owen Glenn has piled the pressure on Winston Peters, offering compelling evidence that directly conflicts with earlier statements made by the New Zealand First leader.
Mr Glenn says he only wants to clear his name, so he went to parliament's privileges committee to set the record straight.
"I called Mr Peters on the 14th of December and I agreed to contribute from our conversation," Mr Glenn said. "It became clear he need more."
His evidence refuted Mr Peters' claims that he only found out two months ago that Mr Glenn gave money to New Zealand First. The businessman provided phone logs of a conversation with Mr Peters in late 2005 and details of how donations would be made.
"When I enquired where the donation should be sent, he said he lawyer would send details," Mr Glenn said. "He further requested it was kept confidential.
Mr Glenn also had an affidavit from racing identity Paul Moroney, who sat with Mr Glenn and Mr Peters at a lunch in 2006. Mr Moroney says he remembers Winston Peters thanking Mr Glenn for the money, once again conflicting with Winston Peters' account.
Winston Peters has already been stood down as Foreign Minister by the Prime Minister and she was unsettled by what Mr Glenn had to say.
"I wasn't in hearing, but clearly there is some disturbing evidence," Miss Clark said. "We will have to wait for right of reply that important, but we're watching very closely."
Miss Clark has enough to worry about, after Mr Glenn made it clear that Labour was well aware of his donation to New Zealand First.
"In a private and personal conversation with Miss Clark in February, I told her I'd make a donation," Mr Glenn said.
Labour has taken Owen Glenn's money, but has done little to back him up in public. However Mr Glenn says that in private, it is a different matter.
"Mike Williams came over in June, invited himself on my yacht and asked for further funds," Mr Glenn said. "I said 'what time's your flight Mike?'"
Mike Williams did not return calls for comment, but it appears Mr Peters is not the only political figure to be caught out by Mr Glenn. Tomorrow Mr Peters will be back in the spotlight when he appears at the privileges committee facing the fight of his political life.
3 News
source: newshub archive
