A Labor lobbyist has told an anti-corruption hearing it's fair to say a property developer was paying Victorian politicians for political influence, including sitting Labor MP Pauline Richards.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is investigating allegations that City of Casey councillors were bribed by property developer John Woodman to vote in favour of his projects.

The inquiry is also investigating donations Mr Woodman made to Victorian politicians.

Public hearings resumed online this week after an eight-month break because of COVID-19.

Lobbyist Phil Staindl is giving evidence this week.

He worked for Mr Woodman, who paid him a $500,000 success fee to get a land deal over the line in Cranbourne South, in Melbourne's south-east, in 2012.

Mr Staindl, a lifetime Labor Party member, told the inquiry it was a "fair assessment" that Mr Woodman perceived he was paying MPs for political influence.

Questions over cash for political influence

A secret recording of a phone call between Mr Woodman and his consultant Tom Kennessy was played to the inquiry.

It heard Mr Woodman increased a political donation to Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards from $5,000 to $20,000 after she gave her support for the rezoning of land at Cranbourne West known as C219, ahead of the 2018 state election.

"The simple fact is you discussed with Mr Woodman that [Pauline Richards] had made a commitment to C219 and because of that commitment he was going to up the ante to $20,000," Counsel assisting IBAC Michael Tovey QC said.

"It makes it crystal clear that Mr Woodman perceived he was paying for political influence."

Mr Staindl replied: "On the basis of that transcript that's probably a fair enough assessment."

When questioned further by Mr Tovey about whether Mr Woodman was "paying for people", Mr Staindl said he had never taken his actions that way.

"It certainly doesn't look good — it's not the way [Mr Woodman] expressed it to me and I've never taken it in that matter," Mr Staindl said.

Ms Richards is expected to be the first sitting MP to be called as a witness to an IBAC hearing in its eight-year history.

Former Labor MPs Jude Perera and Judith Graley are also expected to appear as witnesses, after the inquiry heard evidence they also received political donations from Mr Woodman.

The City of Casey Council was sacked earlier this year over evidence heard at the inquiry.