Should Winston Peters be permanently removed as Foreign Minister?

Winston Peters has stepped aside as foreign minister while the Serious Fraud Office investigates donations to his New Zealand First Party.

Monaco-based businessman Owen Glenn presented compelling evidence at Parliament suggesting New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lied over what he knew of the billionaire's $100,0000 donation.

Debate on this issue is now closed.

Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

albatross (Takapuna)
Monday September 29, 2008 On Nov 8 WP will realise that the whole of NZ is out to get him. On Nov 8 Helengrad will learn that the majority of NZ is wrong when National will win a landslide victory. Cullen already said the majority was wrong by censuring WP. Sounds like a dictator's verdict.

Linda Spittles (Silverdale)
Wednesday September 24, 2008 S4M (Nelson)
You clearly have been listening, reading and watching a different transcript of the evidence put before the Privileges Committee. There was not just a phone call from Owen Glenn in Dec 2005 at 1.30pm NZt, there was another phone call from WP to Brian Henry immediately after that, then an email sent from Brian Henry to Owen Glenn with the word's "Further to your conversation with my "client" at 1.30pmNZt today, these are the bank account details you requested" Mr Henry catagorically denied that the "client" was Winston Peters but could not name the client beause he had not been given a waiver to disclose their name. I wonder who Mr Henry approached to get a waiver to divulge their name to the Privileges Committee, as, after Owen appeared in person before the P.C. Mr Henry had no option but to admit the "client" was in fact Winston. Mr Peters denied he spoke to Owen at the 2006 Karaka Sales. He said it was in 2007 at the Sales he spoke to Owen Glenn, but Owen Glenn wasn't at the 2007 Karaka Sales! For you to blindly say that there was no hard evidence is to be stretching the possibility of coincidence beyond all reason. Winston knew of the trust and how it operated

Linda Spittles (Silverdale)
Wednesday September 24, 2008 Fed Up (Titirangi)

Well said! The only conflicting stories came from WP and his lawyer (who should be ashamed of himself and needs to be hauled up before a disciplenary hearing of his peers) For Micheal Cullen and his Labour Party/NZ First cohorts on that committee to expect us to believe that everyone else on that committee and the majority of NZer's with an ounce of common sense were wrong is to treat us like mindless imbeciles. Helen you were right - the whole thing was politicised. Labour and NZ First would not have found WP guilty under any circumstances because they need WP on their side, he knows too much and could go feral on Helen if she had no option but to sack him. It was pathetic during the Privileges Committee process to gradually hear Helen backing off from her promise that WP would be sacked if found out to have broken the rules and lied about it. She clearly didn't think that there would be enough evidence against him from Owen Glenn. Well, she was wrong, and now she and Michael Cullen have backed themselves into a corner. Role on Nov 8th!

Himanshu Trivedi (Mt Roskill)
Tuesday September 23, 2008 The vote in Parliament suggests that there are 56 others who need to be removed as well and not only the most Hon'ble and most righteous Foreign Minister Right Hon'ble Mr Winston Peters, who can not only never do wrong, will always say "no" to anything being asked for.

I sincerely hope that this Parliament learns very soon that though 56 of those members think that the population of New Zealand is dumb, they are proved very wrong come November 8th. And yes, on this Mr Peters is right, he will finally stand in the People's Court on 8/11 . if that still elects such people, it will be a moment to move mate!

Chris (Hamilton)
Tuesday September 23, 2008 My long held opinion has been that Peters is a totally self serving, arrogant and populist politician. He is far more interested in himself than in the best interests of New Zealander's. His crocodile tears when he suggested he had done so much for ordinary kiwi's wanted to make me chunder. As a member of the grey power demographic I can only feel for all those supporters who have been conned by him for so many years.
Helen - you are doing yourself no favours by hanging on to him. He's got to go.

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