MPs crucial in deciding whether Prime Minister Helen Clark will be called to appear before Parliament's privileges committee this week are not interested in a political side show, the Otago Daily Times was told yesterday.
Miss Clark did not go as far last night as ruling herself out of appearing before the powerful committee, but she raised doubts about her ability to add anything material to the investigation about a $100,000 donation to suspended Foreign Minister Winston Peters by expatriate billionaire Owen Glenn.
The donation "clearly occurred", but whether it went into a lawyer's fund for fees or whether it was a gift was not something she could shed light on.
Miss Clark also called into question the impartiality of the privileges committee, saying it was the first time in her 27 years in Parliament where an Opposition MP (Simon Power) chaired the committee and his leader, National Party leader John Key, was publicly drawing conclusions about what the outcome of the hearing should be and then acting on those conclusions.
National has five MPs on the committee and all of them would be expected to vote to call Miss Clark.
Labour has four MPs and New Zealand First has one.
They would be expected to vote against calling the Prime Minister.
That would leave National chasing two of the other three votes from Green co-leader Dr Russel Norman, United Future leader Peter Dunne and Maori Party MP Hone Harawira.
Political sources indicated that two of those MPs were unlikely to vote to call Miss Clark if it only meant National could conduct a political sideshow before Parliament rose for the year.
If the two MPs believed there was something of significance Miss Clark could add, they would vote for her to appear, but they would seek assurances from the chairman that the "narrow field of inquiry" would be adhered to.
"We want no chance for National to take pot shots," a source said.
The committee is due to meet at 8am on Thursday.
Parliament is due to go into urgency today, raising questions about whether the committee will have time to meet.
Without another meeting, the inquiry would die before the election.
Committee members could be granted leave to attend the committee while the house was in urgency, or there was some time available on Thursday night.
However, that was also a "very political" decision.
National Party leader John Key said the committee should call Miss Clark and that the Prime Minister had a duty to appear.
Miss Clark continued her assertions that a Government agency had alerted National to the Serious Fraud Office investigation into donations to New Zealand First but accepted the SFO's word that it was not the culprit.
An SFO spokeswoman said checks had been done and Miss Clark was wrong in her earlier accusation it was responsible for a leak.
Speaking at her post-cabinet press conference, Miss Clark said she had since learned other agencies were involved in the investigation decision - the Crown Law Office and the police.
"I have no doubt word seeped out that the SFO was about to make a move.
"This is a small city."
Asked whether she had evidence, she said there was reason to believe the timing of Mr Key ruling Mr Peters out of a future coalition deal on Wednesday was no coincidence.
Mr Key said National did not know about the SFO's intentions and that Miss Clark should apologise to the agency for her false claims.
"The real question is why Helen Clark chose to keep the public in the dark for so long.
"She has a lot of explaining to do about why she decided only on Thursday to let New Zealanders in on a secret she had kept from them for six months.
"The mystery Owen Glenn donation was an issue of considerable public interest that was never far from the headlines."
Miss Clark continued to deflect questions about the donation, saying she was not responsible for NZ First.
Mr Peters and his lawyer had with them on Friday, when they met Miss Clark, documentation they intended showing the SFO but Miss Clark said she had not looked at it.
"It's not much use showing me a set of accounts.
"I am not an accountant or a forensic accountant."
The issue is sure to be raised during question time in Parliament today, with National expected to target Miss Clark's knowledge of the donation and who requested the money from Mr Glenn.
