By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The president of Save Cranbourne West Residents Action Group was being allegedly paid as a “lobbyist” for property developer John Woodman.
Ray Walker and wife Verlie received a $2500 monthly retainer to lobby Casey Council and the State Government for upgrades of Hall Road, planning consultant Megan Schutz told an IBAC hearing on 2 March.
He was paid another $2500 a month to collect real estate data in the South East corridor for Mr Woodman’s firm Watsons, Ms Schutz said.
IBAC has alleged that SCWRAG was funded $193,000 by Mr Woodman’s company Watsons and Ms Schutz’s firm Schutz Consulting.
Developer dollars were used to set up the group, pay the group’s leader as a consultant and to fund its legal representative.
“It was a commercial interest dressed up in a strong community safety argument,” Ms Schutz told IBAC last year in relation to the group and the developer’s “aligned” interests on the Hall Road intersection project.
“And yes, we were using the community as a basis for my client’s commercial interests.”
Ms Schutz helped set up SCWRAG. She was financed to do so by another developer Leighton Properties, which was lobbying for the ‘windfall’ rezoning of industrial land in Cranbourne West.
“I think I did a lot of informing of them in relation to the planning,” Ms Schutz said on 2 March of her work with SCWRAG.
“But their views that they didn’t want industrial land on their doorstep were their own views.”
Ms Schutz initially said Mr and Mrs Walker were engaged by Mr Woodman for lobbying work as “community members” not as SCWRAG members.
When shown evidence of Mr Walker lobbying under the SCWRAG letterhead, Ms Schutz said she was “so busy” and “shortsighted” at the time.
“I wasn’t looking at things overall. This was like a runaway train.
“Next thing you know, letters are being written on SCWRAG …
“When I look back on it, I cringe as (I’m) putting my solicitor’s hat on.”
Ms Schutz told IBAC that she’d been “used” by Mr Woodman as a conduit to invoice and engage the Walkers.
“I think he was trying to conceal that Watsons were paying Ray Walker for consultancy services.”
IBAC was told of Ms Schutz helping Mr Walker write a letter to lobby Casey councillors as part of a “political planning strategy”. It was boosted by traffic reports paid by Watsons.
Developers had also paid for a barrister to give advice to SCWRAG on the legality of a Casey Council motion on Hall Road, as well as about $30,000 for a lawyer to represent the group at a Planning Panels Victoria hearing.
Ms Schutz said State Government ministers would have known the connection between SCWRAG and Mr Woodman.
“Community groups can’t pay for huge signs to be erected on … the Leighton Properties’ land.
“There was such a huge amount of money that was spent resourcing the community group, the minister must have known that the community group and the developers’ interests were aligned.
“I don’t think that was hidden.”
In an email to Ms Schutz tabled at IBAC, Mr Walker expressed dismay at parts of the campaign.
“I am trying to make it a win win and that SCWRAG is working in residents (sic) best interests while serving your masters (sic) needs if that makes sense.”
