DANDENONG
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
Tuesday, 17 November, 2020
/DandenongJournal
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Remembrance Day anger
White Ribbon campaign marches on
Hollywood star in Noble Park
The DDCA is back with a bang
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PAGES 12-13
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SPORT
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To catch a thief Compleat Angler staff, including Dylan and George, pictured, were rocked by a brazen break-in of the iconic fishing shop on Princes Highway, Dandenong. Burglars had used an allegedly stolen car to force open the front doors and ransacked the store early on Sunday 8 November. More on page 3.
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Donor welcome By Cam Lucadou-Wells Premier Daniel Andrews offered to call property developer John Woodman to invite him back to Labor fundraisers after reports of alleged corruption emerged, an IBAC inquiry has heard. The inquiry heard of his “quick chat” with Mr Woodman about a development at an ALP dinner in 2015 as well as him “waxing lyrical” about Mr Woodman’s financial support for the ALP. According to IBAC evidence, Mr Woodman gave more than $150,000 to Labor’s 2018 state election campaign. Mr Andrews has distanced himself from Mr Woodman, who is the subject of the corruption inquiry into land deals, Casey councillors and state MPs.
The Premier has declared a Flower Drum restaurant lunch with Mr Woodman, as well as a 2002 election donation but denied talking to him about property matters. In a phone intercept of Mr Woodman, his hired ALP lobbyist Philip Staindl told of chatting with “the boss” - Mr Andrews - at a function in March 2019. In Mr Staindl’s words, the Premier said that Mr Woodman was “more than welcome to come back” to ALP’s Progressive Business events. Mr Andrews offered to give Mr Woodman a call to say “things are OK but also to thank you for your support”, Mr Staindl said. “He started waxing lyrical about how much you’ve given to the party. “He made a note to call you and got me to send your number to him via SMS so I’m sur-
prised that you haven’t heard from him.” Mr Staindl describes Mr Andrews as describing an Age reporter as a “right a***hole” and the government having to shelve a proposed land rezoning C219 due to the reporter’s story in the last weeks of the 2018 state election. “He said ‘And fancy trying to make the City of Casey out to be the sanctimonious organisation”.” Mr Staindl told IBAC that may be “some embellishment” in his narration. He couldn’t recall the encounter with “absolute certainty” because he’d had a “few glasses of wine” at the function. “The general tenor was accurate,” Mr Staindl replied. “There may have been a little bit of spice put in it.”
In an IBAC phone tap on October 2018, Mr Woodman referred to going to Mr Andrews if we “get pushed back”. “I know that I said I wouldn’t go to the boss but if we get pushed back on this I’ll go to the top,” Mr Woodman said. “He had certainly met the Premier on a few occasions,” Mr Staindl told the inquiry. “But I would not agree that there would be an expectation that he would intervene based on his financial support. “He may do it by way of advocacy, but I don’t think there’s a direct correlation there.” In four consecutive months, Mr Staindl discussed a Point Cook development called Aviators Field with “various people” in the Premier’s office and local MP and minister Jill Hennessey, the inquiry heard. Continued page 6
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