Glenn admission a political bombshell - who is the old goat in the story...

Glenn admission a "political bombshell" - who is the old goat in the story...

The Privileges Committee must decide whether to believe Winston Peters or Owen Glenn over a $100,000 donation

Parliament's Privileges Committee now has to decide who it wants to believe.

In a letter to the committee (click here to read letter as PDF), businessman Owen Glenn says Winston Peters sought help from him for the legal fund during a conversation when the pair met in Sydney. He says the New Zealand First leader thanked him for the $100,000 payment when they met again at the Karaka yearling sales in early 2006.

Mr Peters says he has no recollection of asking Mr Owen for money. Privileges Committee chairman Simon Power says the contradiction will be something for MPs to consider.

"The nature of that evidence appears inconsistent with the evidence given by Mr Peters and Mr Henry (Winston Peters' lawyer)."

Mr Power says the committee meets again next Thursday.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper says the letter from Mr Glenn is a "political bombshell" and could prove costly for Prime Minister Helen Clark.

"If she does anything to Winston Peters in terms of firing him from Cabinet, which in my view she's duty-bound to do, she can probably kiss goodbye to the Emissions Trading Scheme."

New Zealand First MP Dail Jones has accused Owen Glenn of contradicting himself. He says Mr Glenn's credibility is at stake, and Mr Peters has told the truth.

However the MP who laid the privileges complaints against Mr Peters says today's revelations spell the end of the New Zealand First leader's career. ACT leader Rodney Hide says it is now clear that Mr Peters misled Parliament and the Prime Minister has to make an ethical stand - and stand Mr Peters down. He says she is clutching to power as she tries to get the Emissions Trading Scheme through.

New Zealand First was due to reveal whether it will support the scheme sometime today.

An interesting old time in the Parliament these days. Helen will make her decision when it suits her and her Government. Remember that an election is impending.

Is the National Party a clean green alternative? Yeah right! If the Government is to be damned, then the whole caboodle is damned!



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What are we to believe about National's policies...

What are we to believe about National's policies? Will John Key resign or be "rolled" by Bill English early in 2011, if he(Key)is elected as prime minister this year. We all know that Billy English couldn't take on Aunty Helen head to head, anymore than the ridiculous Don Brash, though Donny did do better than most expected.

So was there some nefarious deal done between Key, English and the National Party? JK can get the kudos for being elected prime minister along with all the lifetime perks of superannuation and free transport for life, step aside or be "rolled" by Billy English in 2011 after Aunty Helen has gone on to new things. JK should have reasons to resign in 2011 - either the sale of Kiwibank or fiddling with National Super. Lets face it, the amiable Phil Goff hardly poses much opposition for Billy English.

The All Blacks have shown the way to the Labour Government when the polls indicated their demise!

In this life you read a bit, hear a bit and see a bit in your travels. Why does John Key have a pair of smelly jandals on the roof of his electoral office in Helensville, for instance.

Another in the X-curious realm is a story allegedly involving two television journalists and prime ministerial hopeful John Key during some light revelling one evening. JK made a strange comment in the course of emptying his pint, that he expected to be "rolled" by Billy English late in his first term as prime minister. He didn't appear to be too perturbed by the prospect - after all Kiwi taxpayers will look after him for the rest of his life. Just a taste of the good life and his photo in the hallway at Parliament House along with 'Mr Think Big' himself, the late Sir Rob Muldoon.

These are certainly interesting times, friends.