A time-line of corruption
Just seen an additional story in the Dom Post. The timeline. Damning. And remember as you read this, Helen has personally granted permission for Peters to keep the $40,000 the Velas gifted him. Some extracts:
October 5 report: Mr Meurant records that Mr Vela met Mr Peters and indicated a promise of a board appointment on a state-owned enterprise.
December 1 report: Mr Meurant says Mr Peters is devastated by the party’s loss in the November elections. He tells Mr Vela that, if Mr Peters or Doug Woolerton ask for the promised $30,000, he should tell them they had agreed to put Mr Meurant on a government corporation board but could not deliver on that now.
Nor could NZ First get its policies that Mr Vela liked introduced. Remind them it had been agreed that Mr Meurant would head NZ First’s research unit on a taxpayer salary.
Tell them: “I have delivered. Two lots of 10 grand and the provision of a helicopter. I think it is time for you to produce something engage him [Mr Meurant] as your research manager.” Mr Meurant says: “If Winston does engage me, I still want to work for you and will give your projects priority.”
December 10: Mr Meurant writes to Mr Peters applying for NZ First policy adviser job (and sends a job application copy to Mr Vela). He says Mr Peters suggested a salary of $60,000 with a “top-up” from the private sector, which he has found. He says he will obtain donations for NZ First and suggests he be responsible for policy development in fishing and thoroughbred industries and “taxation”.
He says he will rebuild NZ First as a “sector interest (ie fishing, thoroughbred) party” and obtain corporate funding by producing “industry sector-friendly policies”. “Providing NZ First reflects the concerns of the sector groups it targets, financial contributions from the corporate groups will be forthcoming.
“Deliver on what you promise and the corporates I have exposure to will stay with you.” He tells Mr Peters to start with the commercial fishing and racing industries.
And he did deliver – once Helen Clark appointed him Minister of Racing.