Quotes from other sites:
"Criticisms of the bureaucratic and undemocratic nature of the Commission and scandals over corruption in relation to housing developments in Melbourne's fringe areas resulted in the disbandment of the HCV and the formation of a Ministry of Housing (1984) which developed more innovative and flexible approaches to the provision of social housing." (http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00733b.htm)
"The extension of the urban growth boundary is just another symptom of the Labor Party's complete cooption by greedy vested interests. They take money from developers, road builders, fossil fuel polluters, etc - and their policies match this. There is not a sensible green policy in the Brumby Government - and hopefully voters don't fall for the spin, as Davidson warns. Our future is at stake, our democracy needs to be won back. Voting Green is probably the best way to do this." (http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/greenwedge-plan-would-be-a-mortal-blow-to-liveability-20100711-105jy.html?comments=71)
"The promise of s-xual favours, bribery, extortion, fraud — it all went down outside Wollongong’s North Beach Kebab cafe. [...] After all, Wollongong is now the eighth NSW council to be sacked in five years. Bega Valley, Liverpool, Maitland, Rylstone, Walgett, Warringah and Windouran have all been dismissed. There have been 19 corruption inquiries into NSW councils since the Independent Commission Against Corruption recommended prosecution of 14 developers and public officials in an investigation into land rezoning and development in Tweed Shire in 1990.
And findings of bribery and corruption against councillors, council officers, developers and contractors have been made in that time in cases involving Rockdale, Strathfield and 12 other councils.
But council corruption and/or incompetence isn’t exclusive to NSW. Similar conversations amongst esteemed council members have been conducted while reclining in the plastic moulded chairs of crappy cafes around the country."
"ALLOWING private developers to become the key player in assessing their own planning applications would be “like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank”, says Moreland Council." http://moreland-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/planning-changes-under-fire/