Katos’ grand plan

Mediterranean vision for proposed minister for Geelong

AN empowered Andrew Katos would scrap the Geelong Authority and take over planning control of the waterfront, CBD and potentially other major sites across the city. The Coalition’s proposed inaugural minister for Geelong, pictured inset, yesterday identified the area between Western Beach and Rippleside as a key priority for improvement. His new portfolio is central to the Opposition’s plan to grow and enhance Geelong, as it eyes victory at the state poll in November, 2018.

While he aims to lay some groundwork over the next 15 months, the South Barwon MP said key plans would not be finalised until 2019.

An infrastructure audit, which will be used to prepare Geelong for a population of 500,000 residents by 2050, won’t be complete until after the election.

While a masterplan for the waterfront — which the Opposition has declared could be modelled on the active coastline of Thessaloniki, Greece — will also not be presented to the voters.

Mr Katos said the Coalition’s vision was based on reducing the growth pressure on Melbourne and increasing the population of regional centres.

“If we are going to deliver population into the regional areas than we need to provide adequate infrastructure,” Mr Katos said.

“Otherwise, we are just shifting Melbourne’s problems to somewhere else.”

He forecast being able to walk from Rippleside to Limeburners Point, through a continuous link of activities, parks and business.

Mr Katos said the scrapping of the Geelong Authority — which he felt had stalled due to its restrictive advisory role — and creation of a minister for Geelong would quicken improvement.

“The whole intention is to speed things up and get things moving,” Mr Katos said.

“(The waterfront) is ripe for development and ripe for improvement.”

Mr Katos declared that he didn’t own a site on the waterfront, although his brother held a small 180sq m site on Little Smythe St that had been in the family’s hands since the 1960s.

He also reiterated the Coalition’s commitment to a waterfront-based convention centre, which has stalled as the State Government refuses to release the project's business case.

The Coalition is also committed to crafting a new planning policy for the wider Geelong region, which aims to balance population growth with preserving productive farmland and green wedges.