IBAC Operation Sandon report news LIVE: Corruption watchdog tables report into allegations of corruption at City of Casey

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Key posts

• 9.12amWhat Daniel Andrews told IBAC in secret hearings
• 9.05amIBAC probe finds widespread suspect payments to councillors
• 9.02amIBAC’s report has been tabled
• 9.00amHow did we get to this point?
• 8.45amWelcome to our live coverage of Operation Sandon

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What Daniel Andrews told IBAC in secret hearings

The details of what Premier Daniel Andrews told IBAC in secret evidence have been revealed in the Operation Sandon report.

Andrews said he knew allegedly corrupt developer John Woodman and in 2017 had lunch with him and Labor-linked lobbyist Phil Staindl.

Premier Daniel Andrews provided evidence to IBAC as part of Operation Sandon. Credit: Marija Ercegovac

The lunch that Woodman attended arose from a winning $10,000 bid at a fundraising event, and Andrews said he did not recall Woodman or his associates raising planning issues with him.

In an intercepted phone call between Staindl and Woodman, the lobbyist said Andrews had praised Woodman’s donations to Labor and lamented he was being pursued with allegations of corruption by The Age over a controversial rezoning in Cranbourne West.

The IBAC report made no adverse comments or findings against Andrews, but said it accepted the “general tenor” of how Staindl had described his conversation with the premier.

IBAC probe finds widespread suspect payments to councillors

A Victorian property developer “bought access to decision-makers” by paying former local mayors and Liberal Party members about $1.2 million, showing how limits on laws regulating lobbyists leave politicians vulnerable to corruption, the state anti-corruption watchdog has found.

Victoria’s Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) tabled its Operation Sandon report on Thursday, finding property developer John Woodman made payments totalling about $1.2 million to former Casey mayors and Liberal Party members Sam Aziz and Geoff Ablett – including cash payments in suitcases and shopping bags – in return for support for lucrative planning decisions.

Sam Aziz, John Woodman and Geoff Ablett all received adverse findings in the IBAC report.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

“The investigation showed the extent to which a property developer and consultant such as Mr Woodman can invest across the political spectrum to buy access to decision-makers at the local and state government levels,” the report said.

More on the findings here.

IBAC’s report has been tabled

In news just in, IBAC’s final report for Operation Sandon has been tabled.

You can read the full document below.

How did we get to this point?

As mentioned earlier, Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog has for several years been examining allegations of corruption in local government planning and property development.

Property developer John Woodman failed in his latest bid to block the release of the watchdog’s final report earlier this week.

John Woodman outside the Court of Appeal on Monday.

You can read Erin Pearson and Royce Millar’s story on that failed injunction here.

Welcome to our live coverage of Operation Sandon

Good morning, and thanks for your company.

I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll be anchoring today’s live coverage of the latest report set to be handed down by Victoria’s anti-corruption agency.

We’re expecting the findings of Operation Sandon to be tabled in parliament sometime this morning. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has for years now been examining allegations of corruption in local government planning and property development.

That investigation was sparked by a series of reports in The Age dating back to 2018.

Also on deck today are investigative reporters Royce Millar and Ben Schneiders, who have been following this story since day one and will bring you more in-depth coverage as soon as the report is tabled.

My colleague Rachel Eddie from the Spring Street bureau will also be attending today’s flurry of press conferences.

Please note blog comments have been disabled due to legal sensitivities.

Stay tuned.

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