From Downing St to Downunder

Cherie Blair meets five-month-old head-injury patient Jane Leen of Tauranga during her visit to the Starship. Picture / Martin Sykes

Britain's top political spouse, Cherie Blair, swept into a glittering charity event in Auckland last night amid tight security and controversy over her fees for a fundraising tour.

Mrs Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, was guest speaker at a sold-out gala for the Starship Foundation at the Sky City Convention Centre, where high-society figures rubbed shoulders with political leaders in the name of raising money for sick children.

More than 800 tickets were sold for the event, at $250 for individuals or $10,000 for VIP tables of 10, and photographs of everyone from Elvis Presley to Mahatma Gandhi were on sale to raise money for neurocraniofacial surgery at the Starship children's hospital.

Although Mrs Blair's agent insisted she was here as "a private citizen", she was welcomed at Auckland Airport in the afternoon by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who accompanied her with diplomatic police on an hour-long visit to the hospital.

Later the 50-year-old Queen's Counsel, ranked by Forbes magazine as the world's 12th most powerful woman, arrived at the evening fundraiser ahead of Helen Clark, who is listed at No 43.

The Prime Minister's office did not have details last night on how much security was costing.

National Party leader Don Brash also attended the dinner, and his staff said he did not begrudge Mrs Blair the police protection accorded to visiting dignitaries.

Dr Brash waved politely outside the event to a raucous band of about 20 protesters demanding that "the rich" pay more tax to support public health rather than plug gaps with charitable donations.

Inside, Mrs Blair spoke of redecorating the family's flat at Downing St, showed off photos of her young children and plugged her book, The Goldfish Bowl: Married to the Prime Minister. She twice slipped, referring to being in Australia.

An auction raised at least $160,000 for the Starship.

Mrs Blair leaves today for a five-day Australian trip, which the British press says is expected to earn her $265,000 for her efforts to raise money to combat child cancer.

London's Sunday Times claimed that Australian publicity agency Markson Sparks allocated itself about $297,000 in a tour budget, but company head Max Markson yesterday reiterated that the document was a mere draft and the figures reported were "wrong, wrong, wrong".

He said he was contractually forbidden from disclosing whether Mrs Blair would receive a share of last night's proceeds.

Mrs Blair refused to discuss fees at the hospital yesterday.

Starship Foundation chief Andrew Young said he did not know if Mrs Blair would receive a fee for her Auckland appearance, only that Mr Markson had promised to pay all net proceeds to the charity after deducting costs and was confident of raising "a six-figure sum".

Asked if the foundation had a legitimate interest in the cost structure, Mr Young said it was simply grateful to be chosen as a recipient.

Mrs Blair relished the chance during her Starship visit to cuddle five-month-old road-crash head-injury victim Jane Leen from Tauranga, who is recovering after neurocraniofacial surgery.

The infant was injured on State Highway 2 near Mangatawhiri in December in an accident that killed two people, including her aunt.