Loading “Mr Ablett explained to me that he had a credit card debt,” Mr Woodman said. “He was about to be a candidate for the seat of Cranbourne and part of the candidacy was the financial stability of a candidate,” Mr Woodman said. “He was fearful his credit card [debt] and the extent of it and the fact he was incapable of continuing to meet his monthly payments that he requested my assistance.” Mr Woodman said the payment was not corrupt and was a donation and a “correction to his credit card account”.

Mr Woodman was also quizzed about why his company sponsored Cr Ablett’s Equine show on Casey Radio for several years from 2010 onwards. IBAC’s Operation Sandon is the most significant probe into alleged planning-related corruption in Victoria in decades with its examination of land deals in Melbourne’s sprawling south-east. At the centre of the inquiry is developer and planning consultant Mr Woodman. The inquiry is focussing on major rezoning applications in Casey including one involving developer Leighton and another at Brompton Lodge in Cranbourne South. Mr Povey drew links to the large amounts of money being funnelled to Cr Ablett and his fellow Casey councillor Sam Aziz by Mr Woodman’s companies and the progress of these rezoning applications.

The rezoning of Brompton Lodge, which began when former Liberal leader Matthew Guy was planning minister, resulted in huge profits for its owners. Also central to the inquiry has been the bid to rezone a large property owned by Leighton in Cranbourne West from industrial to residential which, if it had been successful, could have led to a $100 million windfall. The council had opposed the rezoning in 2014 but backflipped and supported it the following year. The rezoning proposal is now with Planning Minister Richard Wynne. The inquiry on Wednesday focussed on the role of developers and business interests in funding and setting up of a “residents' group” to support the rezoning by Leighton, now known as CIMIC. Planning consultant Megan Schutz and Mr Woodman played key roles in creating the group and also worked together to pay tens of thousands of dollars to the head of the residents' group, Ray Walker, for a side arrangement to collect real estate data.

It was an area where Mr Walker had no expertise. Mr Woodman said there was no public announcement that the residents' group was funded by developers or any disclosure to the planning minister, who was being lobbied by locals. Geoff Ablett Credit:Gary Sissons He said his experience was that a “majority” of residents groups are funded by landowners or developers. This week, IBAC heard evidence of $1.2 million in payments to Cr Aziz and Cr Ablett through companies linked to Mr Woodman and other means.

It was alleged that Mr Woodman used a fake name to deposit $5000 cash in Cr Ablett's bank account. Under questioning on Tuesday Mr Woodman admitted the fake signature of G. Williams was in his handwriting. "Yes sir, I believe so." On Wednesday, Mr Woodman conceded the method of payment was wrong.