Labour donor is Asian organised crime boss - Latest TGIF about to break

Ian Wishart is trailing Instalment Two of the immigration corruption saga that is pointing straight at the heart of the Labour Government.

Wishart is doing a marvelous job of putting a little bit out there each week and following up with a new devastating revelation. I'll bet this week is not the complete story - we have two more weeks to run. Next week will be huge if he is following this strategy.

I wonder what spin the ninth floor will run tomorrow afternoon - given they'll know more of the story than you and I - but probably not as much as Wishart - the paranoia must be palpable. The fear will be picking up those neck hairs, real nice.

Here's what Ian is saying:

Last week we gave you a heads up about part one of a major political scandal involving two cabinet ministers, a former minister and a mysterious Chinese migrant awarded NZ citizenship on ministerial intervention…

This weekend, Part Two of the story breaks: TGIF Edition reveals the migrant’s REAL name, his past, and the fact that he’s an Asian organised crime boss who not only donated to more Labour MPs than Helen Clark admitted last weekend, but who also employed a honey-trap in his bid to gain political influence within Labour.

Forget tinpot controversies about impoverished Thai tilers. Forget about whether Owen Glenn gave Winston $100K. You’ll learn tomorrow how New Zealand’s immigration system has been compromised by Asian organised crime buying residency, citizenship and political favours, and turning New Zealand into a money-laundering financial hub.

Like we said last week, this is the biggest political scandal of recent times, and it’s unfolding only in the pages of TGIF Edition.

Don’t miss out, subscribe now at http://www.tgifedition.com

PM's Department knew months ago or rather last year about Peters's Vegas visit.

Whaleoil's deepthroat is close to the mark and identifies who knew what and when. MFAT at the highest levels was well aware Peters was AWOL. So was Clark.

Just another lie. This is the usual Clark M.O. - as we are witnessing again.

1. Deny any knowledge.
2. As the dogs get close admit some recent knowledge
3. Use a fall guy to make the admissions - usually along the lines of no one asked the question before. Perfect example seen today following the questioning of Kathryn Street by Ian Wishart
4. Float rumours Peters may be toast.
5 Do nothing - hunker down.

PM Clark Knew Two Friday's ago Peters Took Unauthorised International Travel

Ian Wishart's blog has quoted the PM's press secretary that the PM only found out "two Friday's" ago that her Foreign Minister took a personal side trip to Las Vegas to watch a fight while on his way to Singapore from Berlin....yeah right - he disappeared for say four days - into the depths of the US - and she had no idea he was not on the aircraft to Singapore?

Either way he and she are toast - he because the side trip did not have authority - she because she knew at least ten days ago and as is becoming habit forming said nothing.

About to get kicked out of The House - shortly to be booted out of home.

Cactus Kate has an interesting post. She has found a lifeboat being launched on the foundering NZ1. The highly polished floors are a clue. No dust in this joint.

Perhaps they are cashing up in case the calls to visit Level 2, Duthie Whyte Building, Corner Mayoral Drive and Wakefield Street, Auckland, becomes too hard to refuse.

Laura Ede

Today's NZ Herald carrys a backgrounder on Laura Ede. Miss Ede is Owen Glenn's Executive Assistant and has been a major attraction I suspect with many following the story. Seems she had the media agog at the Auckland Press Conference. As a former physiotherapist may be she could put a few necks back in joint afterwards. She apparently declined to answer whether she had been crowned Miss North Harbour in 1999. With Laura and his crucifix Owen Glenn is ready for battle.

Recalling phoning Winston Peters on the fateful day and prepared to sign an affidavit affirming the same made Winston's denials that much more tawdry.

Why Did Condi Make a Personal Visit?

Generally the US is fairly assiduous in not being seen to take sides in domestic politics. Generally this means they avoid calling by when elections are due. At the time the late July Rice visit was mooted many saw it as unlikely for electoral courtesy reasons and because our Foreign Minister was getting deeper in the doo-do by the day, the liklihood of a visit was probably remote.

Despite this background Rice did in fact come and as we know was subjected to the ignominy of watching Peters's press conference descend into farce as domestic questions dominated around his deepening funding scandals - Remember the quote to a journo - "watch it sunshine" or WTTE . All very unedifying. The Hive carried all these perambulations well.

Condi could have gone straight to Samoa for the PIF meeting - it was after all a US Air Force jet with little need for more than fuel from here - if that.

Now as we watch things play out in the last days of the Helengrad regime I have been thinking - - maybe - just maybe - Condi had a more diplomatic mission - one conducted in the old way. A personal contact as emissary of GWB to the head of the NZ Government - anti-nuke Clark.

Condi's job was to tell our PM, Miss Clark, in person, that unless she got Filk Off into line on the nuclear front - particularly helping "our" friends in India - matters would quickly drop out of Helen's "conscientious and competent" hands as a number of cover-ups in the US started to get headlines; at an awkward time.

Weird isn't it that Clark, Filk Off, King, Mallard, Cullen and all the anti-war gang - people of principle? - have rolled over and granted a major non-signatory of the Nuclear Proliferastion Treaty an open goal. Fishy eh!

There are rumours aplenty in the blogosphere of the dirty dealings of Clark and Co - the VRWC is in full cry - tally ho - or is that Talley Ho?

So What is Going On?

Did Clark roll over for the Indian nukes because her personal position was compromised - are we seeing a re-posting of the LAX (Or was it SFO) Peter Davis airport incident - this time with venom and GWB taking no prisoners? The Hive has a commenter who has a perspective.

Then there is the always close to the siren Whaleoil with an interesting post on money laundering. His commenter Friend on the Board is using his friendship well with a warning to those on 9th floor not in the inner circle to be afraid be very afraid and take steps to exit Helengrad.

Lastly but not least is our new friend Roarprawn who seems to be always at the dock as the catch comes in with tales from the high seas and tales of the one's that won't get away - scampi anyone?

Surely the meeting between New Zealand's Ambassador to France Ms Sarah Dennis and Owen Glenn is a matter of public record?

A useful line of enquiry would be for the MSM to request records of any meetings between Her Excellency Sarah Dennis and Owen Glenn - particularly a morning tea in Paris.

Owen Glenn said the meeting was over morning tea and at her request. Owen also said she said she was asked to vet him and on questioning he apparently proved up OK. These facts cannot be state secrets - come on MSM go fetch.

We should not be surprised Clark has not moved on Peters

News Clark is still not prepared to sack Peters from his Ministerial position is not news.

The price of Peters stepping aside from his portfolios (Note not his warrant) was Clark would keep him as a Minister up until the election. This deal remains intact and has significant financial benefits to Winnie and NZ First. (Surprise, surprise I hear you say).

As I have said many times - they are joined at the hip. They either hang together or hang together.

I still believe the likelihood of an October election is high. The Clark/Peters axis won't want to have to fight an election with Winston/NZ First facing charges laid by the SFO and a good guess is they have at least a month more investigation to go - methodical they is.

Clark's only chance is a coalition with a Peters party - they each need each other. Sort of like the Kray Twins.

Parliament Goes Into Urgency - Election Shortly

Peters tonight was appealing over the heads of the Privileges Committee to his constituency - he is in election mode as he realises Clark will have to sack him. That bring the next phase of the plan. They have probably already agreed the script.

Clark and Peters are inextricably joined. They cannot, jointly or severally, expect to govern again unless they stitch together another unholy alliance.

Labour needs the Greens, Maori, Panderton as a minimum to govern (assuming no NZ First). Labour is so low in the polls and has blown any chance of gaining the Maori party vote this time around. She therefore needs a resurgent NZ First - knowing Panderton plus the Greens won't give her sufficient numbers and neither will ever go with National.

Peters's only chance of redemption is to construct a conspiracy and from that platform appeal to his core vote - before the SFO, Police, Electoral Commission deliberate. We saw the crumbling edifice being raised tonight. Peters trying to (re)establish the core tenets of a conspiracy - Fay Richwhite, Russell McVeagh, Winebox etc., it was all on show - Geoff Harley Owen Glenn's lawyer was pro bono (we all know what that means wink, wink) and he, as Fay Richwhite's counsel in the Winebox, was at the core of allegations of witness coaching in that case etc etc.

As usual all froth and no evidence - just a few key words.

We know Winnie has a "stay" until September 30 for the Electoral Commission and Helen will know what the Police are thinking - that leaves the SFO but she also knows they are very slow and deliberate - the kill is their objective not quickly getting on with the hunt.

Therefore a quick campaign and sometime soon is her best of a bad set of choices. She now has her UN credentials burnished - the ET Scam is through and any other legislation dear to her heart is proceeding under urgency as we speak. Only now is the media fully understanding the gravity of the ETScam - it will take a while to coalesce - Clark will determine her only chance is now.

The electorate will be livid when it realises that paying more to turn the lights on, boil an egg or fill the car is not going to change the weather. That they have been scammed in the biggest rort in history.

While some would say she would prefer to wait till November Winnie may be in gaol by then. She needs this sorted now.

Therefore her only chance is to hope the alien fanciers and NZ Firsters get up for 5% and she somehow cobbles together an unholy coalition from the far left.

Trouble is the wheeze from the street is the polls have turned up - for National and Act - Clark doesn't realise how off the hook the electorate is.

It is not credible to suggest as Peters's said tonight that during his conversation with Owen Glenn on 14 December they discussed how Owen's horse was going to run in the the Big Race - the Melbourne Cup.

Mr Peters agreed there had been a phone conversation between himself and Mr Glenn on December 14 2005, but he said he could not recall talking about money...

....Mr Peters said Mr Glenn also made mention he had a horse running in the Melbourne Cup and may have asked for lawyer Mr Henry's contact details..

NZ Herald

The Melbourne Cup is always run the first Tuesday in November - five weeks earlier. Glenn and his trainer would have no idea of what horse (if any) was going to run in the Cup a year later.

Owen Glenn is Enjoying Redeeming Himself

"You're going to love this," Mr Glenn told a press conference in Auckland this morning, "he asked me for a job. He said he was a good administrator, he's run his own businesses, he said he was articulate - he's a total subservient," Mr Glenn said.

Oh dear - Williams begging Glenn for a job - hasn't he looked around? It seems to me Glenn's employees are hot, keep good records and are loyal and don't lie. None of these are qualities of Mike Williams.

Clark made an incredibly bad and naive move when she chose to cut off a self made Mill(Bill?)ionaire who had previously supported her to the hilt. It shows the heights her hubrism has reached that she thought she could withstand the likely result of a full frontal attack by she and others on her team on Owen Glenn. Once Cullen, Mallard and Co suggested Glenn was deranged, drunk or deceptive and Clark left him to the dogs, it was game over for Clark and her tawdry lot.

Could she not understand Glenn's discomfiture and misgivings would burst out somewhere? Did she not understand he did not need her at all - particularly now the only bauble left (the Honorary Consulship) was taken away.

Her political management this year has been appalling.

Owen Glenn This Morning on the Nine to Noon re Monaco Consulship

I'll paraphrase the interview as best I can remember. Kathryn Ryan asked Owen Glenn about the Monaco consulship

OG: Yes Winston said he was still actively working on it - "It is my decision and I want to push it through is what he said. I need a letter from you confirming you are continuing to live in Monaco." This is when I (OG) was at Raglan and Winston was on his way to South Africa. I have a witness to that conversation.

OG: "The New Zealand Ambassador to France got hold of me, unannounced, and wanted to visit me in Monaco. Unfortunately the dates did not fit.

She later invited me to visit her in Paris. I went and we had morning tea at the embassy - it was very nice. I asked "why did you want to talk to me? She said - " I am vetting you for the consulship). I asked; Ok what do you think of me - do I pass or words to that effect...."Yes I you seem to be alright."

OG: I asked Helen Clark about it (the honorary consulship) at the same time we discussed the donation when we met in February 2008 at the opening of the Business School. The PM suggested we should let it die down for a while "and not stir the pot".

There is no question this was a clear offer the Owen Glenn by Winston Peters and the PM knew all about it.

More lies and obfuscation.

Audio not up yet.

Update: Audio up now - see here

Quote du Soir

John Campbell: What do you think of the way they have treated you. Clark, Peters the lot?

Owen Glenn: Disappointed, I would not want to be in the trenches with them.

Quote du Jour

Michael Cullen: Did the person talk like Mr Peters usually did?

Owen Glenn: "I knew it wasn't you Dr Cullen...you already had your $500,000

Hide taking No Risks with Electoral Commission

Rodney Hide has today filed a complaint direct with Police National HQ that NZ First has breached the Electoral Act by filing false returns in 2007.

What is Grant Currie Up To.

He has apparently fallen out with Wayne Peters - they have dissolved this year a law partnership lasting 20 years.

However, probably inconveniently for the Peters Bro's, Currie remains a trustee of the Spencer Trust. None of his comments of late have been supportive of the major beneficiary of the Trust - NZ First. He is leaving enough information out there inviting new questions.

There are no bank accounts for the Spencer Trust - all funds were transacted through the firm's trust account.

He has intimated the Spencer Trust work predates 2005 and certainly indicated large donations were channeled through the firm's trust account before that - eg the Vela donations....

See here:

Meanwhile, Mr Peters' lawyer friend Peter Williams, QC, yesterday revealed that the Spencer Trust had received $80,000 from the Vela family and that New Zealand First had handed over records to the SFO.

Mr Williams told Radio New Zealand he "presumed" the Vela money had gone to New Zealand First in amounts under $10,000.

The Spencer Trust was formed only in 2005 so the Vela family's $80,000 is different from the reported $150,000 given to the party between 1999 and 2003.

See over at Farrar's place

Talley Ho!

This is more piscatorial than vulpes volpes venatio and certainly not RAF.

The significance of the "e" to be revealed?

Hat tip: The Hive

Kidnapped Ma Xin Xin found safe and well in Auckland

Update 1: Press Conference ongoing - found at 3.15pm - Chinese 25yo arrested. Found in house around corner from abduction site.

Helen Clark not implicated as yet. Winston Peters cannot be found.

Surprised to See More Homicides in South Auckland

I understood the Prime Minister had solved it.

Back in September 2006 the PM and other worthies ( Ministers Maharey and Benson-Pope - remember them?) announced urgent and quick responses to street related killings in South Auckland. Back then it was a lack of Education fingered for the violence. And, they had a plan to fix it and quick.

Now I note the PM has turned on Liquor outlets as the source of evil. Problem is the hit and run at Manaukau City Centre was not a Liquor store and nor was the old lady thumped to death in her home.

As we see day after day with this tired and out of touch regime - they have no clue. What is very clear is life is less safe under Labour.