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Racing and fishing magnate Philip Vela said last night that he had no concerns about the donation his company had given to New Zealand First a few years ago.
"I've got no problem. I'm not interested in what happened yesterday," he said last night from Switzerland.
The Vela brothers are among a swag of big business donors to New Zealand First whose donations have not been disclosed in the party returns. Donations of more than $150,000 from six different accounts over four years (1999 to 2003) were made to the party, the Dominion Post claimed, in amounts below the $10,000 disclosable threshold.
Sir Robert Jones gave $25,000 in 2005 via the Spencer Trust and has sought but not received assurance that his money went to the party.
The Serious Fraud Office is deciding whether to launch a formal investigation into the matter.
Mr Vela said last night he had no similar concerns.
"We are looking forwards, not backwards. When you go to the toilet in the morning, that's what happened yesterday. No use looking at it. Tomorrow's the future. Let's look to the future."
He said he was looking forward to the Resource Management Act being "fixed".
Asked if he would support New Zealand First in this year's election, he said it would depend on its policies.
As well as the Velas and Sir Robert, the New Zealand First leader, who has railed against big business donations to National, has been supported by Monaco-based billionaire Owen Glenn, Talleys and racing legend Sir Patrick Hogan.
Another racing identity, Graeme Rogerson, would not confirm suggestions yesterday that he had also backed Mr Peters' party.
Meanwhile the privileges committee inquiry into the payment of Mr Peters' legal fees by Mr Glenn will get under way at Parliament early this morning.
The decisions made at the committee will likely determine whether the inquiry gets to complete its work or whether it is left in abeyance when Parliament rises for the election.
The committee will decide how quickly to progress its hearings and whether to work through the upcoming two-week recess, and the five smaller parties - Greens, Maori, New Zealand First, Act and United Future - will hold the most sway. The two main parties have four votes each.
Parliament rises this evening for a two-week break. The House resumes on August 26 for probably only three weeks before Parliament rises for the election.
Mr Peters sits on the privileges committee but his place will be taken by his MP Dail Jones.
Mr Jones said last night he would be prepared to sit through the recess to get the inquiry completed before Parliament rises for the election.
Mr Glenn paid $100,000 towards Mr Peters' legal bill for challenging the Tauranga result in the 2005 election, a fact Mr Peters said he discovered only on July 18 from his lawyer.
The committee is to decide whether it was a gift or a debt or an expense in an election campaign and whether Mr Peters should have declared it.
Act leader Rodney Hide made the original complaint about Mr Peters and his place on the committee will be taken by Act colleague Heather Roy.
