MP is right on icon

WE DON’T always agree with everything Geelong MP Christine Couzens says.

There was the infamous incident when she claimed she hadn’t said what this newspaper quoted her as saying in relation to heroin injecting rooms — even though she had emailed our newsroom the very comments we quoted.

We don’t agree that the Liberal Party policy — which Labor may still match — to raise the speed limit on the Princes Freeway to 110km/h is unpopular as the MP claims.

We also don’t agree with her proposition that the RACV oppose the speed rise.

The motorist body has actually been advocating for the higher limit for our region for four years.

But, in an age of robotic politicians, Ms Couzens has a refreshing way of going offscript and bucking her party’s official line.

That was what was behind the brouhaha over her injecting room comments.

It was at play when she said she “certainly wouldn’t support” anything taller than 15 storeys in relation to the 21-level Miramar development.

Announcing approval for the project her own party’s Planning Minister Richard Wynne said Ms Couzens was now “fully supportive” of the development.

“I’ve talked to Christine at length about the proposal,” he said.

“Christine Couzens completely supports this project, because she sees it in a broader context of what it means in terms of the revitalisation of central Geelong.”

So while we don’t always agree with Ms Couzens’ changing positions, we do wholeheartedly agree with her recent comments on the need for action on the convention centre.

Pointing out the Federal Government had not yet committed any funds to the project, Ms Couzens told the Pulse FM: “Are we just going to procrastinate ... or are we going to actually move on and do this thing?”

We hope the State Government to which Ms Couzens belongs heeds her call.