By Josh Gordon
Planning Minister Matthew Guy has been referred to Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog after Ombudsman George Brouwer concluded allegations of secret fund-raising meetings with property developers could be corrupt conduct.
Labor asked Mr Brouwer in March to investigate a report in The Age that Mr Guy intervened in the planning process by helping property developers who each paid $10,000 to a Liberal fund-raising arm to attend private dinners.
Matthew Guy.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Opposition anti-corruption spokeswoman Jill Hennessy told Parliament's public accounts and estimates committee that Mr Brouwer sent a letter to Labor pointing out he had a legal obligation to notify the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) of ''any matter that appears to involve corrupt conduct''.
Ms Hennessy told the committee that Mr Brouwer said he had consequently referred the allegations to the commission.
The Age reported in early March that developers paid $10,000 to attend a dinners in mid-2011 with Mr Guy and in 2012 with former Places Victoria chairman Peter Clarke. In one instance developer Harry Chua, who attended both dinners, had the height of his apartment tower in Elizabeth Street increased by seven storeys.
It also reported that Mr Guy overruled VCAT and a City of Yarra decision and approved an increase of car park spaces for Salta Properties after chief executive Sam Tarascio jnr also attended the 2011 and 2012 dinners.
In another case it was reported that Mr Guy expedited the rezoning of the Kinnears Rope site in Footscray developed by AXF properties, which was represented at the dinners by an executive.
In response Mr Guy told the committee he had followed recommendations of local councils and others. ''I fail to see how I have done any favours for any of those developers,'' he said.
Mr Guy also raised questions about the relationship the former Brumby government had with developers, saying various property organisations had contributed $300,000 to Labor just before the 2010 election.
He later told The Age: ''By Labor's own standards almost the entire Brumby cabinet should face IBAC. This is a silly stunt and it highlights how desperate the opposition has become in Victoria.''