Wealthy appetites await Clinton's golden words

By AINSLEY THOMSON and SCOTT MacLEOD

Bill Clinton arrives in Auckland aboard the Sultan of Brunei's private plane on Monday to address an exclusive dinner. His fee: up to $185 a second.

This time around the former United States President will sweep through town in a slightly more understated fashion than that of his visit for the Apec forum in 1999.

On Monday evening, Clinton will give a 45-minute speech at the BMW Event at the Hilton Hotel.

With a fee rumoured at $500,000, Clinton will earn $11,111 a minute, or $185 a second for his speech.

The 750 guests due to attend are paying $795 each to be there.

Most details of Clinton's visit to celebrate the arrival in New Zealand of the new BMW 7-Series have been kept secret, and the media have been warned that "the secret service" could change those few details that are known.

But an itinerary of the former US President's visit released this week says the 55-year-old will arrive at the event about 7pm, talk to guests, including Prime Minister Helen Clark, then move into the main dining room.

He will be served smoked salmon marinated in beetroot, then granulated ice, and a main meal of beef with kumara, tomato tart and spinach mousse cooked by chefs from the Auckland catering firm Austin's.

Austin's head chef, Arnault Vallee, 33, has the perfect pedigree.

The French chef, who moved here from London last year, has created meals for the rich and famous, from rock star Sting to Germany's former Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the one-time leader of the former Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev.

At 9.15pm, Clinton will start work.

He will rise and walk to the podium. He will make a speech, the topic of which is not known.

At 10pm, he will finish and "will leave directly, and is unlikely to return to the top table", according to the itinerary.

Sadly for Clinton, his departure will mean that he misses dessert.

Guests will be indulged with a 9cm pyramid-shaped, liqueur flavoured icecream, complete with dried lavender buds.

Many details of Clinton's visit are kept secret for security reasons. His exact arrival and departure times and where he will stay are not being released.

But Senior Sergeant Darroch Todd from the police operation planning office said Clinton would arrive on the Sultan of Brunei's private plane about midday on Monday, is expected to play a round of golf and is believed to be leaving on Tuesday.

Clinton's 1999 visit brought Auckland to a standstill.

He was accompanied by 1200 support staff, including a hairdresser and personal surgeon, had a large motorcade every time he moved around Auckland and was surrounded by special security agents 24-hours-a-day.

Visit co-ordinator Max Markson said this trip Clinton would bring only a handful of staff.

It is not surprising that Clinton will leave the BMW event as soon as possible.

Since leaving office after two terms, he has made speeches nearly once every two days, in 30 countries. He has been paid for about 40 per cent of those.

The former President has found life after the Oval Office divided between writing his memoirs, making money, delivering speeches and holding court.

In his spare time he golfs with actors Jack Nicholson and Chevy Chase.