By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Ex-Cranbourne MP Jude Perera revealed he knew at an early stage that Save Cranbourne West Residents Action Group (SCWRAG) was being sponsored by developer John Woodman.
Mr Perera says he still submitted SCWRAG’s purported petitions and documents to Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Casey Council, he told an IBAC hearing on 26 November.
In 2015, Mr Wynne visited industrial land which Mr Woodman and SCWRAG are lobbying to rezone for housing.
The minister made a “casual comment” that the residents group in support for rezoning Cranbourne West land had “erected such big posters”, Mr Perera told IBAC.
“I can vaguely remember his making a mockery of that because … we both hold the view that residents may not fund something like that.”
Mr Perera agreed that the link between SCWRAG and Mr Woodman’s company Watsons and his planning consultant Megan Schutz was known.
“In conversation we both – the minister and myself both understood it was the case.”
IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich noted that Mr Wynne seemed “alive to the risk that that might have come via the developers”.
Mr Perera said he had no difficulty submitting SCWRAG’s documents after that realisation.
“One thing is the issue and the process is a different thing.
“The process of, you know, hyping up was the role of the developer, but the core issue lies with the local residents about the air pollution.
“As a human being I would not like to live next to an industrial estate.”
In an email by Ms Schutz, she relays details about Mr Wynne’s private conversation with Mr Perera during the visit.
Her source is allegedly Mr Perera’s electorate officer Sammy Argiriou.
“Sammy says that the Minister asked about the signs and said that clearly it had not been the community who paid for them.
“Sammy was unwilling to provide his direct view to me on whether he thought the minister supported the rezoning.
“But then pretty much said that his office would win on this matter … It is about what the local community wants.”
At the inquiry, Mr Perera said he was unaware of Mr Argiriou’s disclosure. He agreed it was inappropriate.
IBAC has alleged that SCWRAG was funded $193,000 by Mr Woodman’s company Watsons and Ms Schutz’s firm Schutz Consulting.
Ms Schutz told IBAC in March 2020 that State Government ministers would have known the connection between SCWRAG and Mr Woodman.
“Community groups can’t pay for huge signs to be erected…
“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.”
Ms Schutz helped set up SCWRAG.
She was financed to do so by another developer Leighton Properties, which owned the land and would gain a windfall from the rezoning.
Mr Woodman was offered a $2 million success fee.
Ms Schutz told IBAC “we were using the community as a basis for my client’s commercial interests”.
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 for 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.
Mr Walker – as well as his wife Valerie – was being allegedly paid monthly retainers.
The IBAC Operation Sandon hearing into alleged corrupt land deals involving developers, councillors and MPs continues.
