Make it count

I’M excited and looking forward to the future, a future where Geelong gets the investment needed to finally cast off it’s heavy industry tag and propel itself into the 21st century with intelligent and strategic future proofing.

The City Deal announcement last week will bring together federal, state and local governments to select and deliver a series of major projects that will boost jobs, improve infrastructure and further advance the region.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the City Deal would be used to improve transport links in the region, revitalise the CBD, ensure the Great Ocean Road reaches its full potential, position Geelong as a “leading digital economy” and support innovation and growth of knowledge industries.

The State Government has signalled it will use the deal to push for the funding of projects including the Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan, Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour Project, the Revitalising Central Geelong Action Plan and more.

Interestingly, the final thoughts on this new Utopian world was that “All levels of government will now work to finalise a City Deal to form part of 2018-19 State and Commonwealth Budget considerations”.

Well that would be a first wouldn’t it? And within a mere few days the “working together” part seems to have escaped some of our local pollies.

The Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre has been a hot topic for about 20 years.

There has always been an agreement that we need one from both sides of politics. There has always been a will, but never, until now, a way.

Liberal MP’s Sarah Henderson (Corangamite) and Andrew Katos (South Barwon) made the suggestion on Tuesday that the convention centre be built on the water’s edge — not across the road on the university carpark.

They even had the temerity to suggest some possible locations with Limeburners Point or Western Beach getting honourable mentions.

Geelong Labor MP Christine Couzens, pictured, quickly rushed into print and rubbished suggestions by the Liberal MPs that the convention centre be built on the water’s edge.

So much for all levels of government “working together”.

Christine went on to say “Sarah Henderson and Andrew Katos are out of touch with the community when it comes to retaining public space,” and “the Limeburners and Western Beach options would both mean the loss of valuable community space that should be shared by everyone — something locals have told us they don’t want”.

Well, Christine, no doubt you can supply us with the polls and surveys to back up this statement.

This local hasn’t even been asked and I think it’s something we need to have a look at. When this universal panacea for all Geelong’s ills eventually does get built it will cost $120-160 million. For that I don’t just want a convention centre, I want an iconic building, an architectural statement and a ‘must see’ destination point for tourists. I want something that challenges the Opera House, makes the Bilbao Guggenheim look like an outback dunny and the neo-futuristic Shard in London like a malformed funnel. What disappoints me most is the rather distasteful use of adversarial politics by Christine. She should be thinking what is best for the community. Just for once she could ignore her lefty, branch-stacking, factional masters, her ‘I don’t have an original thought of my own’ and work with the Federal, State, CoGG and the community to give the best for Geelong. Think consensus, Christine. Make no mistake about this, and it’s an old adage but true, you only get one chance to make a first impression. With the convention centre this is our chance. It needs to be big. It needs to be iconic. We need to hold an International design competition to get the right architects. We need to set design parameters for a carbon- neutral building and insist it’s energy positive. We need a statement.