KEY POINTS:
Owen Glenn today produced a paper trail of phone calls, emails and an independent witness to apparently contradict Mr Peters position that he never solicited a $100,000 donation from the Monaco-based billionaire.
Mr Glenn appeared before Parliament's privileges committee, which is considering whether Mr Peters broke Parliament's rules about declaring gifts or debts over Mr Glenn's donation.
Mr Peters denied knowing about the donation until July this year and said he did not ask for it.
Mr Glenn said Mr Peters called and left a message on his telephone service on December 5, 2005.
Mr Glenn said he returned the call and Mr Peters asked for financial assistance.
He then checked with Labour Party president Mike Williams whether it would assist Labour, as that was his only intention.
He had thought Mr Williams would have told his colleagues, but he did not know this for a fact.
Mr Williams took some time to get back him and Mr Glenn assumed that this was to make sure Labour did not object.
After this he talked to Mr Peters.
"I called Mr Peters on 14 December 2005 to inform him that I agreed to contribute."
Mr Glenn provided phone records to show the call to Mr Peters' cellphone.
Shortly after the call, Mr Glenn got an email from Mr Peters' lawyer Brian Henry who referred to the call from "my client".
Mr Peters said the request for money was made in a phone call by Mr Henry at his own instigation and without his knowledge.
In the hearing today Labour MP Russell Fairbrother tried to suggest the person on the end of the phone could be Wayne Peters - Mr Peters' brother - saying they had similar voices.
Mr Glenn said he had no doubt he was talking to Mr Peters and the money was to him and that he asked for it help pay his legal costs.
"He was speaking to me as Winston Peters...I have no doubt in my mind it was him."
In today's hearing, NZ First MP Dail Jones suggested it could have been Mr Henry on the end of Mr Peters cellphone.
Mr Glenn said he had never talked to Mr Henry.
"I do not make donations to lawyers who call me and say please send $100,000 that I can spend as I wish."
Mr Glenn became frustrated about continual questions on whether he sure if it was Mr Peters he spoke to about the donation, he recognised his voice.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen asked whether the person talked like Mr Peters usually did.
Mr Glenn repeated that he was very sure.
"I knew it wasn't you Dr Cullen...you already had your $500,000."
High profile horse trainer Paul Moroney backed up Mr Glenn's version of events in the New Zealand First donations row.
Mr Moroney said in an affidavit to Parliament's Privileges Committee today that he was at a lunch at Karaka in 2006 at which Winston Peters thanked Mr Glenn for his help.
Mr Moroney in his affidavit said that on 31 January 2006 he was at the lunch at Karaka with Mr Glenn and Mr Peters.
He stated: "During the luncheon discussion, part of the conversation between Mr Peters and Mr Glenn involved Mr Peters thanking Mr Glenn for his help to him.
"Mr Glenn had told me before the lunch that he was meeting Mr Peters over the lunch, because he had made a donation to assist Mr Peters fund his legal expenses concerning the Tauranga election result. I recall Mr Glenn telling me that Mr Peters had contacted him to ask for his help with this."
Mr Peters has long said he does not solicit donations from big business, but Mr Glenn had a different view.
"Mr Peters is very skilled at asking for donations," Mr Glenn said.
The money was used to pay for Mr Peters' legal costs to challenge the 2005 electoral result in Tauranga, where he lost to National's Bob Clarkson.
The Glenn donation is separate to scrutiny that donations to NZ First are undergoing from the Serious Fraud Office, police and Electoral Commission.
Mr Glenn also told MPs that Mr Peters had thanked him for the donation at the Karaka horse sales in 2006.
Mr Glenn said he liked Mr Peters and had no idea about why he had acted in the way he did.
"He is a great character and he's had a lot of original thinking and he has some unique ways of fundraising."
Mr Peters is to give his side of the story to the committee tomorrow evening.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that both Mr Glenn and Mr Peters were honourable men and she hoped an innocent explanation could be found.
After the hearing, Miss Clark said she would be watching Mr Peters evidence closely.
This evening National leader John Key said the evidence against Mr Peters was "a slam dunk" and took aim at Helen Clark for not revealing what she knew of the donation saga earlier, and for not taking stronger action against Mr Peters.
Earlier today Mr Key said that, if proven today, the Prime Minister must finally take stronger action and sack her Foreign Minister.
Mr Peters has stood down from his ministerial portfolios while donations to New Zealand First are investigated by the Privileges Committee, the Serious Fraud Office and police.
Mr Glenn earlier today indicated he was offended by the way he had been treated by Mr Peters and Prime Minister Helen Clark, who he told of the donation in February. Helen Clark did not reveal she was told until recently, instead saying she took Mr Peters at his word that he had not been given a donation.
Asked if he was offended, Mr Glenn said "well, wouldn't you be?"
Before today's hearing he said claims he was "confused" were very close to calling him a liar and he was at the hearing to defend his reputation.
He said he was keen to clear the air, but had a "clear conscience" over his role in giving the donation, and it was up to Mr Peters to deal with the legalities of it as the recipient.
"I'm not responsible for [Mr Peters.] I did what I did and I've got a clear conscience. I didn't even know what the rules of engagement were for receiving donations."
Mr Glenn has previously donated to the Labour Party, including $500,000 in 2005 and an interest-free loan of $100,000 subsequently.
He would not rule out donating to political parties again, but indicated a change in the personalities involved would be required.
"One thing about politicians - they come and go."
He said he was saddened it had come to a question of his honesty, saying it was "like a school yard squabble."
"I would have thought our MPs would behave in a better manner all round. They should be running the country. I think New Zealanders have a right to be better represented."
- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB, NZ HERALD STAFF
