Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and senior government ministers have been mentioned in a corruption hearing over a suburban Melbourne council. The state's Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission is looking at planning decisions in the southeastern Casey City Council. Hearings on Monday centred on conflicts of interest and lobbying payments for a controversial Cranbourne West rezoning and road redevelopment. IBAC was told a purportedly grassroots community group, Save Cranbourne West Residents Action Group, had been set up to push the interests of controversial developer John Woodman. A lawyer and planning consultant who worked with Mr Woodman, Megan Schutz, said conflicts of interest involving the developer and Casey councillors created a "corrupt situation". "I think on reflection ... I was used by Mr Woodman," she told the inquiry. Ms Schutz later said she had met with then-roads minister Luke Donnellan, Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Treasurer Tim Pallas at functions. She also said Mr Andrews would have known who she and Mr Woodman were. MPs last month voted to sack the Casey council, with an interim administrator appointed. Public hearings into the saga resumed on Monday and are expected to run until the end of March. IBAC says it will begin live-streaming proceedings for the first time given the high public interest in the case. Australian Associated Press
An anti-corruption inquiry into planning decisions at Melbourne's Casey City Council has resumed.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and senior government ministers have been mentioned in a corruption hearing over a suburban Melbourne council.
The state's Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission is looking at planning decisions in the southeastern Casey City Council.
Hearings on Monday centred on conflicts of interest and lobbying payments for a controversial Cranbourne West rezoning and road redevelopment.
IBAC was told a purportedly grassroots community group, Save Cranbourne West Residents Action Group, had been set up to push the interests of controversial developer John Woodman.
A lawyer and planning consultant who worked with Mr Woodman, Megan Schutz, said conflicts of interest involving the developer and Casey councillors created a "corrupt situation".
"I think on reflection ... I was used by Mr Woodman," she told the inquiry.
Ms Schutz later said she had met with then-roads minister Luke Donnellan, Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Treasurer Tim Pallas at functions.
She also said Mr Andrews would have known who she and Mr Woodman were.
MPs last month voted to sack the Casey council, with an interim administrator appointed.
Public hearings into the saga resumed on Monday and are expected to run until the end of March.
IBAC says it will begin live-streaming proceedings for the first time given the high public interest in the case.
Australian Associated Press
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