By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A property developer’s consultant was writing the “script” for a Casey councillor ahead of a council meeting vote on 16 October 2018, an anti-corruption hearing has heard.
Backed by a series of tapped phone calls and undercover photos, the IBAC inquiry’s ‘counsel assisting’ Michael Tovey probed developer John Woodman – who is known as the “blood donor” by some Casey councillors.
A call was tapped in which Mr Woodman’s consultant Megan Schutz coaches Cr Sam Aziz just before the council voted on the early release of residential lots near the ‘H3’ intersection in Hall Road, Cranbourne West.
“So what – what is the recommendation that we’re seeking tonight?” Cr Aziz asks Ms Schutz.
“‘Cause I actually haven’t gone into my emails yet, I’ve just been flatout.”
Ms Schutz replies: “OK. So your recommendation tonight is that Council does not support the grant of secondary consent to defer the intersection works.”
She also recites community safety arguments for Cr Aziz to ward off opponents to his alternative motion.
At the IBAC hearing, Mr Tovey asserted that Ms Schutz acts “like a ventriloquist expressing to Mr Aziz what he has to say to council about an issue which he hasn’t prepared at all”, Mr Tovey asserted.
“I disagree, sir,” Mr Woodman replied.
“I think that she’s pointing out to him the arguments as to why a deferment is not in the best interests of the community.”
After Cr Aziz’s motion was passed at the council, Ms Schutz tells Mr Woodman in another tapped call that Cr Aziz is a “d***head” for not following instructions.
“I think we won,” Ms Schutz says – despite Cr Aziz doing a “crap job tonight”.
“He didn’t do what I asked him to do. Anyway, he’s an absolute fool that guy.”
Meanwhile Cr Aziz’s colleague Geoff Ablett excused himself from voting due to a conflict of interest with Mr Woodman.
But he was “working behind the scenes” to support Mr Woodman’s position, Mr Tovey asserted.
IBAC alleges that a developer linked to Mr Woodman wanted an “accelerated” building of the H3 intersection.
It also hoped to offload the costs to Casey and neighbouring developer Dacland.
After repeated denials to the hearing, Mr Woodman admitted that he had a financial interest in the issue.
A bank document showed he was a $14 million guarantor for a housing development opposite the H3 intersection.
The inquiry tabled a photo depicting Cr Sam Aziz seated with Mr Woodman in a Subway outlet. Investigators claimed the pair discussed the return of Cr Aziz’s money and Mr Woodman referring to the pair’s “friendship”.
In other explosive evidence, Mr Woodman admitted that he signed a “sham” backdated loan document for $370,000 to ‘replace’ an earlier $600,000 loan with Cr Aziz.
Cr Aziz had allegedly loaned and delivered the $600,000 in cash in a suitcase to Mr Woodman – to hide the money from his ex-wife.
“The $370,000 loan was a total sham, wasn’t it?” Mr Tovey asked.
“Yes. Mr Aziz instructed my people, yes, sir,” Mr Woodman replied.
