Both freemasonry and "professional networking" open up possibilities of corruption. It may or may not occur in any given situation, bur the risk is there.

What makes freemasonry a greater risk than some other professional networking routes is that it is cross-business: it is possible for a councellor to enter into a corrupt relationship with a builder in a way that is not so easy if both parties are builders, for example.

Secrecy is the problem, openness is a good way forward.