Brash accused of lying over Americans' election role

Don Brash said two Americans employed by National did not have a policy role. Marty Melville / Getty Images file

The Government yesterday launched a new attack on Don Brash's credibility, claiming new evidence proved the National leader had "lied" about American involvement in his party's election campaign.

Dr Brash confirmed two Americans worked on the campaign, but rejected any claims he had lied.

The claim was based on a 2004 email he sent to key party strategists. It was released yesterday by Foreign Minister and NZ First leader Winston Peters.

Senior Labour MP Trevor Mallard said it proved Dr Brash misled the public in the lead-up to the election, when he rubbished Mr Mallard's claims that National's campaign was being financed and run by Americans.

Mr Mallard was then alluding to American billionaire Julian Robertson and others.

Dr Brash said then that while Mr Robertson was a friend, no Americans were running National strategy, and he called Mr Mallard's claims a "thundering lie".

But yesterday's email suggested Dr Brash contemplated seeking American help.

He described a lunch hosted by Mr Robertson in New York.

"Among those present were two guys who have been actively involved in various Republican campaigns and who have expressed a strong interest in helping with our campaign in NZ."

Mr Mallard quoted a line from Dr Brash last year saying: "There's no one that I have met who is an American involved in our campaign."

Dr Brash said two Americans had worked on National's campaign but he had not met them until election night, which was after he made that statement to Mr Mallard.

Dr Brash did not know if they were being paid, but later referred to the fact that the party had "employed them".

National's campaign manager, Steven Joyce, said the father and son team worked for a centre-right or Republican election campaign company and had been employed for about four to six weeks to mobilise volunteers.

- Additional reporting by Ainsley Thomson