Developer John Woodman gave donation to Martin Pakula at last election, IBAC told
A property developer at the centre of an anti-corruption probe says he gave more than $20,000 in donations to Martin Pakula during last year’s state election, a claim the then-Attorney-General has refuted.
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Jobs Minister Martin Pakula has denied receiving more than $20,000 for his 2018 state election campaign from a developer at the centre of an anti-corruption probe.
At an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission inquiry today, Watsons director John Woodman was quizzed over payments he made to state political candidates in 2014 and 2018.
Counsel assisting the hearing, Michael Tovey QC, asked Mr Woodman about donations to the then-Attorney-General, Martin Pakula, which he said were worth about $20,800.
Mr Woodman said he wasn’t familiar with Watsons accounts but agreed he had contributed $157,900 to the Labor Party and candidates.
Mr Tovey said the money was from Watsons, and that records showed $20,000 was also provided to Labor’s Cranbourne candidate Pauline Richards.
Mr Pakula told the Herald Sun that the “claims relating to donations to my campaign in the lead up to the 2018 election are wrong”.
“I conducted a fundraiser in April 2018 for which Watsons purchased three tickets for a total contribution of $3300,” he said.
“There were no other donations made by Watsons to my campaign in 2018. As indicated previously neither Watsons nor any representative or associate of Watsons has ever sought to have me make representations regarding developments or rezoning in Casey and I have never done so.”
Earlier Mr Woodman told the hearing that candidates from both sides of politics often approached him for money before elections.
He said he had dished out cash since the 1990s but expected nothing in return.
At last year’s state election, counsel assisting the commission Michael Tovey QC outlined the donations made by Mr Woodman and associated entities including more than $20,000 to then-Attorney-General Mr Pakula and Cranbourne candidate Pauline Richards.
In total Labor candidates received $157,900 compared to $94,500 in 2014.
The Liberals received $63,000 compared to $80,000 in 2014.
Mr Tovey asked whether this was because Labor was “odds on” to win the election.
Mr Woodman said he could not recall the exact amounts provided, but he agreed Labor was likely to win.
He said he had previously discussed where to transfer money with political parties.
He confirmed generous donations to Labor’s Jude Perera in Cranbourne in 2014, and donations totalling $80,000 in 2014 to Liberals and serving or former Casey councillors Geoff Ablett, Amanda Stapledon and Lorraine Wreford.
He said it was his understanding that politicians who received money from him would declare a conflict of interest when matters arose involving his projects.
Mr Woodman is accused of providing generous gifts to two councillors at Casey Council in order to wield influence over them and secure votes on key issues.
He claims never to have paid money in order to secure votes.
Mr Pakula today denied having a close relationship with the developer, describing their interactions as “very marginal”, and said the amount alleged to have been donated was incorrect.
“I have never approached him for a donation, what may have occurred is people running a fundraiser for me may have invited him to attend a fundraiser, “ Mr Pakula said.
“I have never approached him for a donation, I can say that categorically.
“In regards to the quantum he has described, I would have to say I am somewhat surprised to see it.
“Now you would expect in these circumstances I would ask my office to be going through all the deposits to my campaign account carefully, because I don’t want to answer these questions off the top of my head. But, I can say with, what I would say is a high degree of confidence, that the number is not correct and nowhere near correct.
“I think it would be a much, much, much smaller number in the lead up to the 2018 election.”
Mr Pakula admitted he had spoken with Mr Woodman at three fundraisers and on other occasions, but said otherwise, he had “very little” interaction and “wouldn’t profess to know him well at all”.
“He has never asked me to make any representations on his behalf and I never have.”
Mr Pakula said his office was now going through the donation receipts to confirm how much had been given and said he would release the information to IBAC if requested.
Yesterday, the IBAC hearing heard Mr Ablett, Gary Ablett Sr’s brother and one-time mayor of Casey, was alleged to have received $330,000 in years of payments from developers, purportedly to tend for racehorses they co-owned.
And former mayor Sam Aziz, accused of pocketing $900,000 from property developers, allegedly bolted to Egypt amid claims he wheeled in a suitcase full of cash during one transaction.
Cr Aziz also alleged to have been handed wads of cash for PhD expenses despite not being a PhD candidate.
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He was set to be grilled by the state’s corruption watchdog over contentious planning decisions, but yesterday’s hearing was told that shortly after Cr Aziz was interviewed by investigators, he flew to Egypt and it is unclear “if and when he might be returning”.
Last night he posted a statement on Facebook defending his overseas travel, saying there was “nothing unusual” about it and that he was not required to attend the IBAC hearing.
“I intend to vigorously defend all and any allegations made against me only through the legal process, not through media commentary,” he posted.
The hearing is continuing.