Two of the four candidates had made pre-election promises not to take any money from property developers.
A private company called Friends of the Peninsula, which is run by a property developer, donated more than $35,000 to candidates running for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, including two who were elected and others who vowed not to take developer money during their campaigns.
New councillors Cam Williams and Bruce Ranken received $5055 and $7136, respectively, from the company, while unsuccessful candidates Peter Clarke and Susan Bissinger received $14,066 and $8873, respectively.Freshly elected Mornington Peninsula councillors Bruce Ranken and Cam Williams. Ranken served at Nillumbik Shire Council alongside Clarke before both men ran at the most recent election for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Ranken, also a former Liberal Party member, listed integrity as one of his top three priorities in a council candidate survey run andUnlike NSW, in Victoria there are no laws preventing property developer donations at either council or state elections, or preventing developers from using a company or entity as a fundraising vehicle.
“I have know Ari for over a decade, and I was very thankful for his support towards me and my campaign, so he wasn’t a ‘stranger’ that wanted to back me, he is a friend,” he saidBut Clarke, who received the largest donation of more than $14,000, said he had “never met, spoken to or had any contact” with Lakman and was “unaware of Valli development group”.
Local government activist Dean Hurlston, the president of Council Watch, said his organisation wanted to see donations from developers banned.
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