Controversial expatriate multimillionaire Owen Glenn had plans to host and finance international sporting events and trade promotions were he to have become New Zealand's honorary consul in Monaco.
‘‘All were to be at my expense,'' he told the Otago Daily Times from his yacht in California.
Mr Glenn hit the headlines last month during a visit to New Zealand to open the Owen G. Glenn building at Auckland University's Business School - to which he had donated $7.5 million.
Controversy erupted over insinuations he might have been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit because of his donations to the Labour Party. Mr Glenn revealed he had donated $200,000 to the party in 2004 and a further $300,000 in 2005.
The Monaco sports competitions were to have included an international rugby tournament, as well as netball and beach volleyball, featuring New Zealand teams.
In addition, he planned to hold an event centred on New Zealand goods and services at the Royal Monaco Yacht Club, of which he is a member. The plans have been shelved.
Before the opening of the Auckland University building last month, Mr Glenn made one or two flippant remarks concerning an offer of a cabinet post by Prime Minister Helen Clark.
‘‘I was not offered a cabinet position. My comments on this matter were light-hearted and have been taken out of context,'' he later said, clarifying his position.
Further media comment followed revelations that Mr Glenn had loaned $100,000 to the Labour Party in 2007, a loan that had been paid back.
Mr Glenn contacted the ODT following the publication of last week's Opinion page Smoko column ‘‘Owen who? Famous for what?'' (27.2.08), which had him ‘‘laughing out loud''.
He said that he had not had one question from the media on what his plans might have been were he to have become honorary consul in Monaco.
The rugby tournament would have had HRH Prince Albert of Monaco as patron and included 10 European sides, a Prince Albert selection and a New Zealand invitation team to be selected by Mr Glenn.
This tournament, and the netball/beach volleyball, would have been centrepieces for exhibitions of New Zealand good and services, and would have been supported by Mr Glenn.
‘‘It's time we stood straight and broad-shouldered in all aspects of trade promotion,'' he said.
Mr Glenn emigrated to New Zealand from India as a child in 1952. He was educated in Auckland and got his start in the logistics business, from which he has made his fortune, with Teal, the forerunner to Air New Zealand.
Despite living overseas, he said, he supported New Zealand ventures because ‘‘it is my adopted country and my heritage''.
Mr Glenn said although he was ‘‘saddened'' by some aspects of the controversy surrounding his recent visit, it would not affect his attitude to New Zealand. ‘‘Thankfully, not at all,'' he said.
