By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Developer John Woodman’s nick-name ‘Blood Donor’ had no connotation with vampires, sucking blood, or being paid by him, former Casey councillor Sam Aziz told an IBAC inquiry.
Mr Aziz said he instigated the nickname for Mr Woodman – who is being investigated for alleged corrupt payments to Casey councillors including Mr Aziz and ex-mayor Geoff Ablett.
It started when Mr Woodman and himself worked on a charity project with Monash Children’s Hospital and Casey Hospital in 2016, Mr Aziz said.
“He approached me and asked me if Council was willing to commit to some funds for this charity project.
“I said, ‘John, what makes you interested in this? I mean, this is a side of health that I wasn’t aware that you would be interested in.’
“He said, ‘No, I think about health all the time.’
“And then he jokingly said, ‘I sometimes think about donating blood as well.’”
Mr Aziz was asked whether ‘Blood Donor’ alluded to vampires sucking blood or being paid by him.
“It had nothing of the certain nature that you suggest,” Mr Aziz replied.
In 2018, Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon had allegedly approached Mr Woodman for support for her mayoral tilt.
In a covertly-surveilled call on 29 October 2018, Mr Aziz asks Ms Wreford if the “BD is happy” in relation to Ms Stapledon’s mayoral victory.
“Very,” Ms Wreford says.
“Good,” Mr Aziz replies.
“She deserves it more than anybody,” Ms Wreford says.
“I just can’t say it enough that … greed finally hasn’t won out.”
Michael Tovey, IBAC’s counsel assisting, asserted that Mr Aziz had been recorded three times asking whether the ‘Blood Donor’ was happy with aspects of the mayoral election.
Mr Aziz told the inquiry his statement was “pure banter” after a “bitterly fought” election.
“I said, ’Is the Blood Donor happy,’ because I’m sure everybody was watching the election, including the Blood Donor.”
The next day, 30 October 2018, Ms Wreford asks Mr Aziz whether “the Blood Donor can sleep at night” in relation to the council’s upcoming vote on a Woodman-linked issue – the H3 intersection in Cranbourne West.
“Of course he can,” Mr Aziz replied.
Mr Aziz told IBAC that he was “simply entertaining hubris”.
“If I had to correct Wreford on every conversation our conversations would have gone on for days.
“Our interest was always the best outcomes for the Casey community.”
IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich asserted it was inappropriate for a serving councillor to convey such information to Mr Woodman via his lobbyist Ms Wreford.
“I would have to give a qualified yes, Commissioner,” Mr Aziz said.
“It’s not just me, Commissioner, but unfortunately it’s the nature of the beast.”
