Owen Glenn press conference quotes

Expatriate billionaire Owen Glenn today came out firing against many people involved in the controversy surrounding his donation to New Zealand First.

Following is a selection of quotes made by Mr Glenn at his press conference in Auckland.

On Labour Party president Mike Williams' inability to recall approving Mr Glenn making a donation to NZ First in 2005:

"Mr Williams is wrestling with the truth. . ."

On his February 2008 meeting with Prime Minister Helen Clark:

"I just said `you're aware of the donation I made to Winston Peters'. She questioned me on it and said `when, how'? In my opinion she knew."

"I don't think she was that surprised."

On Miss Clark's knowledge of Mr Peters' donation prior to the February 2008 meeting:

"I hark back to the fact that Mr Williams clearly knew and approved giving the money."

On Miss Clark's and Labour's lack of support for him over the Peters donation saga:

"She's very self-serving. I'm expendable. I wouldn't want them in the trenches next to me."

On his support of the Labour Party and its subsequent attitude towards him over the Peters saga:

"I was rather surprised that I was attacked by Labour. It's hard for me to understand what the motive is behind that.

"I'm not exactly cheering for Labour any more, not if they abandon you and turn the dogs on you. What's there to cheer about?"

On Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen:

"He's a bully. I don't have a very warm and fuzzy feeling about him. He's not the sort of guy you'd want to spend a weekend with on an island."

On Winston Peters' denial of knowing about the donation until July this year?

"Why didn't he just declare it? Why? He's asking everybody to believe that he knew nothing about it, that some lawyer rang me soliciting funds which the lawyer's secured, and the lawyer has total access to those funds without question."

On Mr Peters' performance in the past three years:

"He hasn't done all bad, you know, he's just. . . in his mind he's a Damon Runyon figure, he's bigger than life. He just got caught up, tripped over his feet a bit.

"(He's done) a lot of good stuff (for the racing industry). He brought that legislation through, and that's one of the things that attracted me towards him because I own horses, I buy yearlings.

"I think as a foreign minister he's done a good job."

On Mr Peters' suitability to remain a minister:

"I think people in those elected positions, privileged positions, need to act ethically and be trusted, and I doubt he can be."

"I don't think people with forgetful memories should be Minister of Foreign Affairs."

"There's the honourable way out short of dropping on your sword. Let's see what the calibre of the man is tonight. His peers will judge him . . ."

On his role in the saga:

"I'm just the worm that turned. I'll sink back into history."

On whether he regretted making political donations:

"I have a charity that I've founded and that would have fed about 3 million people in India. . . To that extent I think it could have been better spent."

On the outcome of his press conference:

"I can't wait to read the papers tomorrow."

- NZPA