KEY POINTS:
Labour Party president Mike Williams says he is happy to appear before the privileges committee to give his side of the Owen Glenn donation row.
"I am more than happy to do that, I have nothing to hide," he told Newstalk ZB.
Yesterday Mr Glenn, an expatriate billionaire who lives in Monaco, gave evidence to Parliament's privileges committee backing up his claim that New Zealand First leader Winston Peters asked for and thanked him for a $100,000 donation.
Mr Peters denied knowing about the money until July this year. The committee is considering whether he broke parliamentary rules by not declaring a debt or a gift.
Mr Glenn told the committee he sought Mr Williams' opinion before giving the money.
Mr Williams said it was true Mr Glenn had consulted him.
"But what is not true is that he asked me, should he give them money? Now had he done that I would've said no, give us money. We'd just had an election, we had an overdraft. But if he's throwing money around I'd ask him for it."
Mr Williams said Mr Glenn asked for information about Mr Peters' legal action - an electoral petition - to try to overturn the 2005 Tauranga election result where National's Bob Clarkson beat Mr Peters. Mr Williams said he believed Mr Peters had a chance of winning.
"I don't ever recall Owen saying or asking me, should he give them money?"
Asked about a breakfast meeting in Sydney, Mr Williams said the possibility of NZ First winning was discussed and what the effect of the electoral petition could be.
"It was not clear to me that he had been asked to give a donation. I certainly do not recall him talking about money."
Mr Williams said he did not discuss the donation with Prime Minister Helen Clark.
National leader John Key has accused Helen Clark and Mr Williams of knowing that Mr Peters had approached Mr Glenn.
"Helen Clark must explain to the public why she did not come clean with the country earlier."
- NZPA
