KEY POINTS:
With the Prime Minister likely to sack Winston Peters if Owen Glenn has proof that Peters lied about his $100,000 donation, the matter of NZ First's failure to disclose its 2007 donation (and 2006 and 2005) from the Spencer Trust might seem small beer.
It is not, and like the Glenn issue, it could turn out to be a matter of honesty and that is never small.
The Electoral Commission will today discuss the party's failure to disclose the $80,000 donation in 2007 from the Spencer Trust to the party.
The revelation in an email that the party's auditor called the commission in May about what to declare should sound alarm bells.
The commission has already let NZ First off with a warning that its "Nil" declaration was late (May 16 instead of April 30). But with the revelation it failed to declare $80,000 and in the knowledge that the auditor was concerned, the Commission should refer it to the police for further investigation.
A prima facie case already exists.
The commission should not rely on last week's complaint to the police by Act leader Rodney Hide. It should puts its own authority on a referral to the police.
The people in the gun will be party office holders. It now looks as though some knew about the secret Spencer Trust and some did not.
The questions that needs to be answered is "what did Winston Peters know about it?" and "how long has he known about the Spencer Trust?"
The auditor says he did not speak to Peters about it. But did someone else speak to Peters?
Comments by party president George Groombridge to the Herald in May suggested the delay in filing the declaration was dependent on Peters' tick off.
That makes it hard for Peters to say he knew nothing.
When Peters held a press conference on July 29 about the Spencer Trust (transcript at end) he refused to say when he found out about the Spencer Trust.
Perhaps he has known about it all along.
I have put the question to Peters again today through his press secretary. Maybe the answer will be "NO" he has not known about it all along. But what I to make of a "NO" from Peters' these days?
Below is an extract from the "NO" press conference on February 28 called by Peters to discuss the large mysterious donation former president Dail Jones said he had seen in NZ First books in December.
Me: Your president said that large sum was going to be declared in the April returns to the Electoral Commission. Will it be?
Peters: Well, Audrey. Are you having a slow day or something. I said we have always complied since 1993 with the law and we will do in 2008. The answer to your question is the reverse of [holds up NO sign]. The answer is yes.
Me: So if the answer is 'yes' it will be disclosed as a donation from whom?
Peters: I told you that we have assiduously abided by the law all these years and the accounts will be field as they always are and in April you will have your answer.
We are still waiting.
