The Age by JASON DOWLING

June 19, 2010

“BUILDERS and property developers have bankrolled the Labor Party in Victoria with lavish donations running into the millions of dollars during its decade in office, with many benefiting from government planning decisions.

Individual companies have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars and developers have confirmed a yearly phone call from the Labor Party seeking cash.

One large donor from the development industry, who did not wish to be identified, has called for an end to the cash grab and for the introduction of public funding for political parties.

Many developers will again be wooed for a Labor Party fund-raising dinner in August that will include most of the Brumby cabinet and federal Labor cabinet ministers including Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Invitations to the $1000-a-head dinner say it ''is the ideal platform for business and government leaders to interact and build dialogue''.

A snapshot of donations from just eight large developers to the Labor Party in Victoria over the past decade shows more than $1.2 million heading to the party's coffers. The total amount from developers is much higher - including hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to Progressive Business that flows to the Labor Party.......”

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/developers-gave-labor-12m-in-a-decade-20100618-ymx4.html