Community tunnel picket and friends at the Regent Theatre, 28 August 2014
YCAT Editorial – Victoria needs an urgent ban on political donations by developers.
A Liberal Party “Infrastructure dinner” on Thursday 28th August 2014 is selling tables to major construction firms and developers for $10,000 each.
This is no different to the NSW MP who sold a picture for $10,000 more than it was worth. Another NSW MP “forgot” about $10,000 he received in a paper bag and the former Premier who “forgot” a $3,000 bottle of Grange Hermitage wine.
In NSW, politicians who receive $10,000 from developers are investigated by their ICAC and forced to resign.
In Victoria they become “Friends of Denis Napthine” and are given favoured access.
Victoria needs to legislate a ban on political donations from developers.
It needs to increase our IBACs powers, to match the NSW ICAC, so it can be effective.
Any developer or infrastructure company attending this dinner should be banned for four years from winning a Government contract or having a rezoning application approved. Tough measures are required to ensure corruption does not take root.
Right now, in the last months of the Napthine Government, secret rushed deals are being hammered out with major companies and consultants who are bidding to sign dubious contracts in the next two months for:
- The $8 billion contract for East West Link Part A;
- The $2.5 billion contract for the mysterious “unsolicited bid” to upgrade the Cranbourne-Pakenham line;
- The $850 million “unsolicited bid” from Transurban to widen the Tullamarine freeway in exchange for increased tolls and an extension of their concession;
- The unexplained deal to extend the Crown Casino licence by 17 years;
- The approvals for over 60 high rise developments that are sitting on Planning Minister, Matthew Guy’s desk – including the notorious Montague precinct.
Which of the parties to these deals and which consultants and hangers-on will be handing money over to the Liberal’s election fund on Thursday night?
The public has a right to know.
The list of attendees should be released. If not they will be identified as they enter.
Chris Goodman and Chris Star,
For YCAT
Read more:
- The Age: Labor’s East West Link ‘policy’ is pathetic. Kenneth Davidson, Senior columnist at The Age, August 25, 2014.
Victoria’s major political parties are so confident the East West Link project is stitched up, there’s no longer even a pretence that proper process has been followed.
- No East West Link – Take the Pledge: Protest the Liberals’ big business fundraising dinner
The Napthine Liberal government is using the East-West Link and other major road projects to leverage donations from their big business mates in the lead up to the November state election. 6pm, Thursday, 28 August, Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne
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