" 'Oh and Tim, I just want to thank you so much for, you know, um, providing me with the introduction to the secretary of the department and you know [unclear] and my client have now reached an agreement and it’s just fantastic – and it never would have happened if it wasn’t down to you, so thank you.' John Woodman, the developer at the centre of the IBAC investigation, leaves the hearings late last year. Credit:Justin McManus "And he said, 'Megan we work together'," Ms Schutz said in the taped recording. Ms Schutz then said she met Premier Daniel Andrews at the Labor Party fundraiser. "And he gave me a little kiss on the cheek and, um, yes, he said, 'Say hi to John, Megan, say hi to John.' "

Ms Schutz said she had met Mr Andrews on "numerous occasions". Later on Tuesday, the government clarified that the "secretary" Ms Schutz referred to in her testimony was in fact a deputy secretary in the Earth Resources department, for which Mr Pallas had previously been responsible for. The state's anti-corruption commission is probing land deals in Melbourne's south-east, and the role of developer and planner John Woodman in potentially corrupting the planning system at Casey council. It is also investigating the role of developer money and its interaction with state politicians via donations. Mr Woodman donated $160,000 to Labor MPs' campaigns in the lead-up to the 2018 state election. Under examination by counsel assisting IBAC, Michael Tovey, QC, Ms Schutz said Mr Woodman had always had an excellent relationship with the Treasurer.

"Tim would always be the voice of reason in relation to economic issues," Ms Schutz said. "He would have given the rezoning a fair hearing," she said of land in Cranbourne West that Mr Woodman had wanted to get rezoned. "If he was agreeable to supporting it, we thought he might speak to the Minister for Planning himself. There were more senior members of cabinet to the Minister for Planning." But she said Mr Woodman had never approached Mr Pallas about the Cranbourne land. Ms Schutz said his high level of donation gave Mr Woodman and her regular access to senior Labor MPs.

Loading "I understood we – [Mr Woodman's company] Watsons – were getting that access because Watsons were a platinum member of [Labor fundraising arm] Progressive Business," she told the hearing. "The briefings [I’ve had], there was the minister for roads, Luke Donnellan, the minister for public transport, Jacinta Allan. I’ve been present with meetings with Martin Pakula, [when he was] attorney-general. I’ve met with the minister for suburban development, Lily D’Ambrosio. I’ve met with Pulford, I can’t remember her first name." In the same taped conversation, Mr Woodman tells Ms Schutz he may use his connection to Mr Andrews to lobby him directly over a matter in which Planning Minister Richard Wynne was not giving him favourable treatment. "Maybe we will have to go up past the line past Wynne to the Premier," Mr Woodman said.

She said the donations by Mr Woodman meant he and her as his planning lawyer were able to meet with ministers regularly. "You were able to say, 'I’d like to meet with these people,' and you would have to provide a brief about what you wanted to meet with them." She said she also attended functions where Mr Andrews was present, but the access to him was not as direct. "Because Watsons was a platinum member there would usually be a seat at the Premier’s table, or the Treasurer's table. But it was more of a social … the Premier at those sorts of events had 200 or 300 people at them." In a separate recording Ms Schutz described approaching Mr Wynne at another function, to demand he explain why he had not approved a rezoning in Cranbourne West. Had Mr Wynne approved that rezoning, Mr Woodman would have netted a $2 million success fee.

Told by Ms Schutz that she had approached Mr Wynne, Mr Woodman said: "What did f---knuckle have to say?" Ms Schutz said after she had told Mr Wynne he should have rezoned the land, "he got his probity auditor to intervene". Ms Schutz said Mr Wynne had instructed Labor lobbyist Phil Staindl not to let her approach him. "He cut me off and got angry. He said to Phil Staindl, 'Keep that girl away from me.'" Ms Schutz said. Mr Pallas was contacted for a response to Ms Schutz's comments, but a spokesman said that the government would not be providing a running commentary on the IBAC hearings.