Owen Glenn Police complaint

On 5 September 2011 16:57

Re: Formal complaint – Owen Glenn

Dear Peter Marshall,

I write to make a formal complaint concerning a potential breach of the Electoral Act 1993 by businessman Owen Glenn. On the 3rp September, Sean Plunket interviewed Owen Glenn on The Nation program. I have included a transcript of the interview below for your information.

Transcript from 18 minutes, 49 seconds into video available on TV3 website.

Plunket: What do you do with that money?

Glenn: I’m coming back in October and I’m going to hold a press conference, and I’m going to announce some pretty major initiatives.

Plunket: Is that money going to be spent here?

Glenn: In New Zealand

Plunket: For New Zealand?

Glenn: Mainly for New Zealand youth. I’m going to put money where my mouth is. Then I’m happy to answer any question you ask me.

Plunket: So.. ah…

Glenn: (Laughs)

Plunket: Well, let’s explore it. I’m not going to ask you to shoot your bolt right here and now…

Glenn: It’s not ready…

Plunket: So we’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars invested in New Zealand youth…

Glenn: Let’s say at least a hundred.

Plunket: Okay, and it doesn’t matter who the government is…

Glenn: The trouble is you can throw half a billion at it and it will all be misspent. You’ve got to take it step by step.

Plunket: Okay. So this is gonna make..

Glenn: From all the way back in primary school upwards through the ah graduate system and further, let’s take our products and services overseas and do it properly.

Plunket: Does it matter as to who is the gov… who wins the election as to whether or not you proceed with that plan?

Glenn: I think very much so.

Plunket: So you would… so you would think about not doing this initiative if …

Glenn: Well, look, let’s put it in perspective. I think National has a better shot at it, particularly if A.C.T. (sic) are part of it. Because if I say A.C.T. goes a little bit hard on the right, if that is tempered there, they’re not bad people, they’re actually very good people…Labour…

Plunket: Owen Glenn, I quickly want to ask you again, you’re prepared to invest hundreds of millions in New Zealand education …

Glenn: I’d say at least a hundred.

Plunket: … and young people. At least a hundred million if National and Act win the next election? (At 20.09)


Glenn: That’s correct. (At 20.10/11)

Plunket: I thank you very much indeed for your time, and I certainly will be watching that space.

Glenn: Let’s have another chat.

(They shake hands.)

I believe Owen Glenn’s comments concerning making a payment  if National and Act win the next election are a breach of the Electoral Act 1993 and more specifically section 216(3)(a).

1) Every person is guilty of a corrupt practice who commits the offence of bribery.
(2) Every person commits the offence of bribery who, directly or indirectly, by himself or herself or by any other person on his or her behalf—

(a) gives any money or procures any office to or for any voter, or to or for any other person on behalf of any voter, or to or for any other person, in order to induce any voter to vote or refrain from voting; or

(b) corruptly does any such act as aforesaid on account of any voter having voted or refrained from voting; or

(c) makes any such gift or procurement as aforesaid to or for any person in order to induce that person to procure, or endeavour to procure, the return of any person or candidates at an election or the vote of any voter,—

or who, upon or in consequence of any such gift or procurement as aforesaid, procures, or engages, promises, or endeavours to procure, the return of any person or candidates at any election or the vote of any voter. 

(3) For the purposes of this section,—


(a) references to giving money shall include references to giving, lending, agreeing to give or lend, offering, promising, or promising to procure or endeavour to procure, any money or valuable consideration:

(b) references to procuring any office shall include references to giving, procuring, agreeing to give or procure, offering, promising, or promising to procure or to endeavour to procure, any office, place, or employment.

(4) Every person commits the offence of bribery who—

(a) advances or pays or causes to be paid any money to or to the use of any other person with the intent that that money or any part thereof shall be expended in bribery at any election; or

(b) knowingly pays or causes to be paid any money to any person in discharge or repayment of any money wholly or in part expended in bribery at any election.

(5) The foregoing provisions of this section shall not extend or be construed to extend to any money paid or agreed to be paid for or on account of any legal expenses incurred in good faith at or concerning an election.

(6) A voter commits the offence of bribery if before or during an election he or she directly or indirectly, by himself or herself or by any other person on his or her behalf, receives, or agrees or contracts for, any money, gift, loan, or valuable consideration, office, place, or employment for himself or herself or for any other person for voting or agreeing to vote or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting.

(7) Every person commits the offence of bribery if after an election he or she directly or indirectly, by himself or herself or by any other person on his or her behalf, receives any money or valuable consideration on account of any person having voted or refrained from voting or having induced any other person to vote or refrain from voting.

(8) In this section the term voter includes any person who has or claims to have a right to vote.

I would appreciate you looking into this matter, as it is of national significance.

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