Audrey has questions
Audrey Young says Winston’s semi-answers to dates raise more questions than they answer. She asks:
My colleague Claire Trevett made a valiant effort yesterday to get Peters to clarify what he actually believes is wrong. But his answers force us into guesswork.
Does Peters say it is wrong because it did not happen or because he knows the reason it happened?
Does Peters say it is wrong because he knows the donor, meaning it can’t be called anonymous.
Does Peters say it is wrong because it came from a named trust account?
Is it wrong because it is not a donation but a loan?
Does Peters say it is wrong because the donor, if there is a donor, calls it a donation to Starship Foundation rather than to the party (it formed a large part of the party’s $158,000 cheque to the charity – which has since been rejected – as the part’s substitute for repaying Parliament the money it unlawfully spent last election).
May be that is the reasons Owen Glenn won’t confirm or deny whether he gave money to New Zealand First when he is willing to be unequivocal about other parties. Maybe Glenn thinks he gave a donation to Starship via NZ First.
Maybe someone asked Glenn for confidentiality. Glenn did himself nor New Zealand First any favours by declining to be upfront over a donation to the party.
Whatever the answers to the questions, $100,000 is a helluva lot to be “wrong” about.
The public has a right to know whether Peters is adhering to the same high standards of transparency he has advocated for other parties.
Winston may try and get out of this with his usual bluster. I don’t think that will be enough.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Winston ‘Bury me in an L-shaped coffin ‘ Peters. Even his pall-bearers would have trouble knowing which direction they should be facing in.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Nobody seems to have asked the most obvious and explosive question:-
“Did the stray $100k come directly from Labour by way of an interest free loan?”
That’s my guess and I’ve got a good bottle Aussie red heading Colin Espiner’s way if I’m not very close to the mark.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Anyone who thinks they are going to get a straight answer from Winston First is clealy also a devotee of the flying pigs fan club. Hell, the guy has difficulty lying straight in bed and as for ironing your own socks!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Im beginning to think a light needs to be shone on NZ Firsts donations, Ive got a feeling in my bones that the much talked about Neutron Bomb of the election year is going to be Winstons hypocrisy in regards to anonymous donations and party finance.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:33 am
I am just so over Winston Peters, he blusters, he bull shits. If he said it was raining you just know the sun would be shining
But some how it would be your fault, helped by the media of course
February 26th, 2008 at 9:48 am
My view of the surprise $100,000 found down the back of the sofa is the Audrey Young/ Claire Trevitt suggestion that =
…”Maybe Glenn thinks he gave a donation to Starship via NZ First.”
The timing fits and Winston is sneaky enough to fiddle that one out.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:50 am
My view of the surprise $100,000 found down the back of the sofa is the Audrey Young/ Claire Trevitt suggestion
that = …”Maybe Glenn thinks he gave a donation to Starship via NZ First.”
The timing fits and Winston is sneaky enough to fiddle that one out.
February 26th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Anyone stuipd enough to vote for Peters deserves him.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Shady, wealthy money men linked to politicians who seem unable to get their stories straight.
What this scandal needs is a tenacious MP to start asking questions. Someone who’s on the record as being totally opposed to such goings-on, with a track record of exposing corruption – perhaps even sparking a major investigation of businessmen who seem to have been a little too generous with their donations.
Someone like… Winston Peters!!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
The fact that Winston has denied it is the most compelling evidence that the $100K came from Glenn. No doubt Rex Widerstrom beleived the myth of the Soviet submarines lurking off Wellington at the time Winston was putting that fable out as well.