SAVE WILLIAMSTOWN
Delahunty memoir reveals developer sway on planning
The Age
Melissa Fyfe August 22, 2010
“DEVELOPERS wielded influence over the state government in covert ways, were pushy and loved to have ''a word in the ear'' of party leaders about their substantial political donations, former planning minister Mary Delahunty has revealed in her memoir.
In contrast to the assurances of Premier John Brumby and Planning Minister Justin Madden, Ms Delahunty says developers who make donations to the Labor Party do get their interests looked after by Brumby government advisers, who sometimes contact the planning minister's office inquiring about the development's progress.
Ms Delahunty revealed her intense frustration with some community anti-development groups. In her new book Public Life, Private Grief, she says she felt, at times, like ''wanting to lean over and choke them''.
Ms Delahunty, Victoria's planning minister from 2002 to 2005, describes developers as having ''brutal expectations'' about the pace of planning changes and their financial reward.
''Well-heeled developers assume that their at-times substantial donations to the Labor or Liberal parties will guarantee ready access to the minister and a favourable planning decision.''
While ''most of us in government'' did not share the view of such developers, she said, the business heavyweights ''loved'' to have ''a word in the ear of party leaders'' at private functions, ''congratulating them on how well the government was going and adding a throwaway line about their latest donation to the particular party''.
''Such bonhomie could occasionally result, a day or two later, in a friendly call to the planning minister office from a government adviser interested in certain planning matters.''
The Brumby government has consistently denied that developers get special access or treatment due to their donations, or that they wield influence in Labor fund-raising functions. Last August, when controversy over ''cash-for-chat'' functions blew up, Mr Brumby said: ''I wouldn't talk to anybody in any forum about any contract that is before government, about any tender that is before government.''......
......Planning Minister Justin Madden was recently criticised for intervening in an increasingly large number of projects, with little transparency around why he is intervening and which Labor-linked lobbying groups are involved. In June, The Age revealed that builders and property developers have bankrolled Victorian Labor with donations running into the millions during its decade in office....”
Monday, 23 August 2010
