Expatriate billionaire Owen Glenn will appear in person before Parliament's privileges committee to back his claim that despite his denials, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters did ask him for a donation.
The committee is investigating whether Mr Peters broke Parliament's rules by failing to declare a $100,000 donation from Mr Glenn towards his legal costs in 2005.
Mr Peters had strenuously denied any knowledge of Mr Glenn's donation until his lawyer Brian Henry advised him of it on July 18 this year.
But Mr Glenn told the committee last week in a letter that Mr Peters personally sought the donation from him in 2005, then thanked him for it at the Karaka yearling sales in 2006.
Mr Peters has said it was Mr Henry who approached Mr Glenn without his knowledge.
However, the committee today released a follow up letter from Mr Glenn that appeared to back up the billionaire's claims.
In the letter Mr Glenn said he paid the $100,000 to Mr Henry on December 20 after a phone call from Mr Peters on December 14.
On the same day of the phone call he received an email from Mr Henry providing the lawyer's bank details and referring to the phone conversation between Mr Glenn and "my client" -- a reference to Mr Peters.
"There is absolutely no doubt that the request came to me from Mr Peters. I would not have made the donation on any other basis through any intermediary," Mr Glenn said.
He said he was not at the Karaka sales in 2007 as Mr Peters had claimed. He was certain his recollection of seeing Mr Peters in 2006 was accurate.
Mr Peters made a short appearance before the committee today, but will give more evidence following Mr Glenn's appearance next Tuesday.
Mr Glenn's willingness to travel to New Zealand from his Monaco residence will potentially heighten the discomfort for Mr Peters and the Government.
It emerged last week that Mr Glenn had told Prime Minister Helen Clark in February that he had donated money to Mr Peters, but when she put this to Mr Peters he said it was incorrect.
In written submissions today Peter Williams QC, representing Mr Peters, questioned Mr Glenn's recollection of events and said a lack of correspondence between the two suggested Mr Glenn's memory was "faulty".
Mr Henry could also remember what he had discussed with Mr Glenn, despite the latter saying he had never spoken to him.
Details included Mr Glenn seeking an assurance NZ First's support agreement with Labour would run full term.
Today's hearing was an attempt to clear up Mr Peters' and Mr Glenn's conflicting accounts, but it quickly became mired in arguments over what could be said.
As a result Mr Williams tabled his written submissions and the hearing ended after 25 minutes, but not before Mr Williams questioned the committee's independence and impartiality.
National leader John Key has said his party will not work with Mr Peters regardless of the outcome of the committee.
Mr Peters was last week stood down as foreign minister as a result of the Serious Fraud Office launching an investigation into donations to NZ First.
NZ First could also now face a police inquiry after claims it broke the law by filing a false donation return in 2007.
NZ First has admitted breaking the law in 2005 by failing to declare a $50,000 donation from the Spencer Trust, but cannot be prosecuted because it is outside a six month statute of limitations.
The party says this was an administrative mistake.
Trustee Grant Currie said the Spencer Trust had also channelled more than $10,000 to NZ First in 2006 and 2007, despite the party declaring "nil" returns.
Party secretary Anne Martin told NZPA that she signed the nil declaration for 2007 believing it was correct.
The police are now considering a complaint on that issue from ACT leader Rodney Hide.
Mr Peters said it was clear he could not be the subject of the complaint.
"The party intends to clarify some very simple issues giving rise to a misrepresentation in the public arena," Mr Peters said.
The 2007 return was filed late because officials said they wanted Mr Peters' agreement before signing it off.
