Posted 13/7/09 

Tuesday 16th of June 2009 The Age

“Justin time for sale: Greens”

By JASON DOWLING, CITY EDITOR

PLANS by state Planning Minister Justin Madden to host a Labor Party fund-raising "boardroom lunch" next month to brief business leaders about the Government's planning agenda have been attacked as the "minister's time for sale".

The lunch, organised by Labor's fundraising arm, Progressive Business, will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel next month and will cost members $1500 each for a seat at the table and non-members $2000.

Greens MP Greg Barber said the private ministerial briefing to developers sent a worrying message.

"It says, if you have got enough money, you can buy the minister's ear," he said.

He said ministers should be banned from attending such functions. "There should be a ministerial code of conduct that prevents you selling your time," he said.

The invitation sent to Progressive Business members reads: "Join Justin Madden for a briefing on our growth areas and the need to fast-track infrastructure investment to create jobs."

The lunch is "proudly sponsored" by developer Grocon.

Members of Progressive Business are believed to include many large property developers.

The State Government is expected to announce a new draft urban boundary for Melbourne tomorrow - pushing back Melbourne's urban growth boundary by up to 50,000 hectares.

The Government is also considering a takeover of planning powers for urban areas identified for increased growth.

Green Wedges Coalition joint co-ordinator Rosemary West said it was "very disappointing that the development industry appears to have much greater access to the minister than ordinary citizens". "It took us 3½ months to see the minister after the Government's green wedges land grab was announced in December," she said.

Mr Madden declined to comment.