Can anyone inside Vic’s sordid world of politics be trusted?

The latest corruption probe has exposed a world where deals are pursued during lunch at the Flower Drum, and not even the Premier is off the menu if you’ve got enough cash to burn.

The Andrews government will quickly seek to focus on council misconduct exposed in this long-running probe. Picture: David Crosling

The explosive probe into dodgy developer donations by Victorian corruption watchdog IBAC has exposed the sordid underbelly of Victorian politics.

It has lifted the lid to reveal a world where deals are pursued during lunch at the Flower Drum, and access is granted once payments are in the bank.

No one is off the menu – not even the Premier – if you have enough money to burn and know where to spend it.

Labor lobbyist Phil Staindl put it best when describing the influence of Ferrari-driving developer John Woodman, who was the main course dished up to investigators.

“With Mr Woodman, the donations he made certainly assisted him in gaining access – entrees – to ministers and MPs and that has probably come to benefit him,” he told IBAC.

The Andrews government will quickly seek to focus on council misconduct exposed in this long-running probe, most egregiously exhibited by former Casey mayors Sam Aziz and Geoff Ablett.

The latest corruption probe revealed a world where meetings with senior politicians are sought over lunch at the Flower Drum. Picture: Nicole Cleary

It will back IBAC calls to remove control over major planning decisions from local government, and increase penalties for dodgy councillor behaviour.

This is part of a broader shift from Labor to force through developments that will produce more housing, even in the face of community objection – something that was once political kryptonite.

But Operation Sandon also showed state MPs and ministers were just as capable of being targeted by campaign donations and asked to promote developer interests.

Mr Woodman’s tentacles spread all the way up to Daniel Andrews, who met with him, or his associates, on multiple occasions.

The question therefore must be asked, do we really trust that problems exposed will be fixed by a state government dragged through the mud in the same report?

Especially when, just a few months ago, IBAC released another report into a probe showing the public service was improperly pressured by senior Andrews government figures to award a lucrative grant to a Labor-affiliated union.

Department officials said that union proposal didn’t stack up but Labor wanted its affiliate on side before the 2018 election and, despite public service concerns, a deal was announced.

The Premier’s Private Office was said to have “tentacles everywhere” but when presented with these findings, Mr Andrews dismissed the document as “educational”.

Then there are other recent watchdog probes into lobbying and donations, as well as the use of ministerial staff for branch stacking operations.

A corruption investigation into the state’s negotiations with fire services over workplace agreements is also yet to see the light of day.

The IBAC has set a template for how to address massive problems it has exposed through 34 recommendations, including several that would be overseen directly by the premier.

This is a pointed attempt to ensure the leader of the government is culpable if they do not ensure reforms are seen through.

IBAC is clearly convinced that if the premier doesn’t stick to its menu, then it will be a recipe for disaster.

It’s hardly the most appetising prospect for the Victorian public but this is the situation we are faced with.

Originally published as Can anyone inside Vic’s sordid world of politics be trusted?