22 Jul 2008

Auditor-General awaits result of complaint about $100,000 donation

6:27 am on 22 July 2008

The Auditor-General says he'll await the outcome of a complaint about a donation to a legal fund for New Zealand First leader Winston Peter before he considers whether to investigate the matter.

ACT party leader, Rodney Hide intends to complain to Parliament's Speaker about Mr Peters' failure to disclose the $100,000 donation towards the costs of an electoral petition in 2006.

The New Zealand First leader says he found out details only on Friday.

Mr Hide says Mr Peters should have declared that as a pecuniary Interest.

The Prime Minister says it's up to the Registrar of Pecuniary Interests to determine whether the money should have been disclosed.

The donation was made by businessman Owen Glenn, who is based in Monaco.

Mr Peters says the money did not go to him personally or to his party.

At a party conference on Saturday, Mr Peters said the donation was not illegal and was not made to New Zealand First - an explanation that New Zealand First supporters seem to have accepted.

Mr Glenn was the Labour Party's largest donor at the 2005 election.