Unity the key
CAN Geelong move forward over the next decade as it transitions from its traditional manufacturing base to a combination of being clever and educational and a service provider of some note?
The signs are there if albeit quietly and with considered realism. On Wednesday in the Addy were two very encouraging stories both of which fit in exactly with the direction most people believe we are heading.
The first story announced that a campaign is under way to attract 700 jobs to Geelong by relocating Comcare to the region from Canberra and other state capitals. Comcare covers workplace health and safety for Federal Government employees and would slot in nicely with the other federal offices that have recently been relocated to Geelong.
Given the TAC, WorkSafe and the NDIA are already established then Comcare could only increase the available knowledge and efficiency of all these operations.
The possibility of this actually happening is of course still to be seen as, no doubt, other regional centres will also be competing for this valuable social and employment asset.
However with the endorsement of both the TAC and WorkSafe chief executives the first lobbying stone has already been lobbed. Clare Amies, of WorkSafe offered: “WorkSafe would support any move that bolsters Geelong’s reputation as a social insurance centre of excellence.”
And TAC’s Joe Calafiore added: “Since the TAC moved to Geelong in 2009, we have achieved record results, both in insurance operations and in terms of client satisfaction. This is because of the quality of people, skills and support available in Geelong and I have no doubt that Comcare would benefit from this.”
These are strong and significant endorsements from recognised bureaucrats with a record of success and I’m sure their comments will be well heeded in the federal sphere.
What we need is a unified lobbying process, not various groups fighting over who does what and separate campaigns. It also needs the full and bipartisan support of our federal and state politicians. You know, something we are not used to, all involved parties working together for the common good of the community.
The second encouraging story was the release of the report by Infrastructure Victoria advising the State Government that the next major container port should be built at Bay West between Werribee and Geelong. This one really was a no-brainer but it is still great for Geelong that at last a sensible decision has been made. This will genuinely create thousands of jobs both in the initial construction stage and ongoing. It will be a generational change.
I remember being at the Four Points Sheraton, in 2014, listening to a debate between the then Coalition Government’s David Hodgett, minister for ports, major projects and manufacturing, and Labor’s Natalie Hutchins MP, the Opposition spokeswoman for ports, freight and logistics.
The topic was the site of Victoria’s next major container ship port and the purpose of the debate was to examine and discuss the relevant merits of the two prime locations: Bay West Geelong or Hastings situated at the outer edge of the Mornington Peninsula.
This is a big topic involving a proposed expenditure of anything between $5 and $11 billion of state finances — our money.
The only thing that David Hodgett and Natalie Hutchins agreed on was that the siting of the new container port was a really important decision for which I gave them my nomination for the 2014 award for ‘stating the bleeding obvious’. The argument was whether this new port should be sited at Hastings or Bay West.
Even the Government’s own Department of Transport briefing had found the Bay West’ option offered “significant potential advantages’’, including ample land, “almost unlimited potential berth capacity’’ and proximity to Avalon Airport. And Paul Little, who spent 25 years as chief executive of Toll Holdings, said the Hastings option would “not deliver the best outcome for Victoria”.
“Trying to relocate port-based logistics services close to Hastings would be a financial disaster for the logistics industry.”
Concluding this article back in 2014 I commented “Geelong has the rail and road links already in place and an available workforce that could easily adapt to port work and would cost some $5 billion less that an unworkable alternative. Go Bay-West. It’s nice to be right sometimes isn’t it?