Dining with Obama

The drawcard for Barack Obama’s three-day visit to New Zealand is an invitation-only, 900-guest extravaganza on Auckland’s waterfront tonight.

While tickets to that event are highly sought after, there was one guest list that was even more exclusive – dinner with the former American president during his first night in New Zealand.

Obama was expected to spend the last night with his golfing buddies at The Landing, an exclusive lodge on Northland’s Purerua Peninsula.

While no-one is publicly talking about the guest list for that dinner, it will almost certainly include Obama’s golfing partners – former prime minister Sir John Key, former United States ambassador Mark Gilbert, and rich-lister Craig Heatley. Heatley is one of New Zealand’s richest men, while Gilbert is a close friend of Obama.

Partners also likely to attend, including Bronagh Key and Nancy Gilbert.

Sources suggest Key would likely invite National Party president Peter Goodfellow.

Another name floated is Bill Birnie, a former rich-lister and philanthropist who was honoured by the last Government.

Northland is also home to a number of business moguls and American expats, including New York billionaire Julian Robertson, owner of the exclusive Kauri Cliffs golf resort where Obama and Key played. – Tracy Watkins