By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Some of the State Government’s leading MPs are regarded as “friendly” to property developers, according to planning consultant Megan Schutz.
Ms Schutz, a close associate to developer John Woodman, told an IBAC hearing into Casey councillor corruption that former MPs Judith Graley (Narre Warren North) and Jude Perera (Cranbourne) are “more friendly than others”.
So too were Treasurer Tim Pallas, Premier Daniel Andrews, Deputy Premier James Merlino and Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards.
On the other hand, Planning Minister Richard Wynne was nicknamed “DH” by developer John Woodman.
“Minister Wynne has not been viewed … as a particularly friendly planning minister to the development industry,” Ms Schutz told the IBAC hearing on 6 December.
“He favours community groups and public interests.”
Counsel assisting IBAC, Michael Tovey, replied “that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?”
On a tapped phone call on 17 October 2018, Ms Schutz breaks the news to Mr Woodman that Mr Wynne deferred a decision on the Amendment C219 rezoning of industrial land to residential land in Cranbourne West.
“Oh my f***ing God,” he exclaims.
The rezoning decision will be made next year after the Industrial Land Strategy under Plan Melbourne is completed, Ms Schutz explains to Mr Woodman.
She says that she’s been told by a state department officer that “this decision has been made personally by the Minister. It’s his decision.”
“Well you can kiss goodbye C219,” Mr Woodman says.
“Not happening,” Ms Schutz agrees.
“I don’t know what the Pauline Richards and the Judith Graleys and all these people are going to say. Maybe they’ll find out why,” Mr Woodman says.
If approved, the rezoning was set to land $100 million windfall profit for developer Leighton and a $2 million success fee for Mr Woodman as their consultant, IBAC had been told.
Ms Schutz agreed with Mr Tovey’s assertion that Ms Graley and Mr Perera were regularly approached by Mr Woodman to gain approval for the C219 amendment.
The expectation was that Ms Graley would lobby ministers and MPs on Mr Woodman’s behalf, Ms Schutz agreed.
Ms Schutz and Mr Woodman blamed “bad publicity” in The Age for spooking Mr Wynne from approving the rezoning.
Their strategy was then to launch defamation action to discredit The Age, she said.
During a tapped phone call, Mr Woodman also spoke of dumping on the ALP – which was seeking re-election in the 2018 poll.
He says of the Labor Party: “I’d be very careful about playing this game because … I’ve got enough dirt on them to sink them if you know what I mean.”
There had been a longer and multi-layered strategy to making Amendment C219 happen.
In 2015, Ms Schutz had “rung around” state government departments, she told the inquiry. She found that the “bureaucrats” were against the rezoning.
So a community-driven strategy was adopted from about 2015 – including Ms Schutz setting up Save Cranbourne West Residents Action Group (SWRAG). IBAC alleges that Mr Woodman’s company Watsons paid $193,000 to SCWRAG.
“I received an email saying that John (Woodman) had spoken to Judith (Graley) and it was clear from discussions that without the community’s support the rezoning was going nowhere.”
IBAC has alleged that between 2014-’18, some Casey councillors received “donations, gifts and benefits” from Mr Woodman and associates while C219 was being considered by the council.
