Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Shadow Leader of the House

29 October 2008

Owen Glenn still expecting job in May

National Party Shadow Leader of the House Gerry Brownlee says Owen Glenn was still expecting a job as the honorary consul to Monaco as recently as May.

“If Helen Clark really shut it down in February, and if Winston Peters really hasn’t pushed it along since November, why was Mr Glenn still inquiring about the position in May?”

Mr Brownlee says a letter dated May 8 was published in the New Zealand Herald and opened with the words: ’Further to our discussions regarding the Honorary post for Consulate General in Monaco for New Zealand, please be advised that I am returning to Monaco next week and will continue to be a resident of the Principality until further notice’.

“So, if Helen Clark really shut the process down in February, as she claims, and if Mr Peters had really abandoned his personal push for Mr Glenn to be appointed in November as he claims, why didn’t they tell Mr Glenn it was not going to happen?"

Emails released yesterday reveal that the consul role was due to be discussed in New Zealand during Mr Glenn's February visit.

“Mr Glenn’s comment in May comment about ‘returning to Monaco’ and his pledge to ‘continue to be a resident of the principality until further notice’ would appear to be an effort to address Foreign Affairs concerns about his suitability for the role."

The New Zealand Herald also reports a cryptic comment from the May 8 letter that Mr Glenn would ‘look forward to receiving from you further details on the projects that you brought to my attention’.

“What were those projects and did Mr Peters ever get back to him?”

Mr Brownlee says the letter also provides some difficulty for Helen Clark because she claimed to have told Mr Glenn in February to forget the job.

“How could Mr Glenn get that so wrong? Not only did Helen Clark know about the donation, but she also knew about also the consul application. Yet she still chose to stay silent when Mr Peters held his infamous ‘NO’ media conference.

“Helen Clark’s continued confidence in Mr Peters as a Minister in her Cabinet demonstrates she is desperate. It’s time to draw a line in the sand.”

ENDS

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