Blueprint for city’s growth

A BLUEPRINT for growing Geelong into an “internationally recognised second city” released by the Committee for Geelong includes establishing an innovation fund for start-ups, investing $5 million in a planning framework and relocating public sector employees to one central hub.

Lifting the payroll tax-free threshold, low interest loans for establishing or expanding businesses, and creating economic and technological development zones in the same way China has are also initiatives flagged as part of the Proposed Second City Policy Framework.

Committee for Geelong chief executive Rebecca Casson said the proposed policy was the product of four years of work and aimed to stimulate conversation within industry and government.

“For us it’s about encouraging all (political) parties in the lead-up to the State election to understand the merits of having a second city policy for Victoria,” Ms Casson said.

The 28-page second city policy will be presented by the Committee for Geelong to politicians at an event at Parliament House tomorrow.

According to the policy, the population of the City of Greater Geelong could grow to as much as 750,000 by 2050.

And Ms Casson said a framework to guide future development similar to Plan Melbourne was essential for Geelong.

“If the State Government is serious about recognising Geelong as Victoria’s second city and wanting to leverage the opportunities which that brings, there has to be resources put behind that,” she said.

“This Plan Geelong (would) take Geelong to the next level so that we are not left behind in terms of the infrastructure we need.”

Ms Casson said the policy once developed would prioritise land-use strategies that accelerate growth and position it as a centre of innovation.

Other aims of the policy is a 30-minute rail commute to Melbourne, relocating the city’s rail yards from Geelong to Waurn Ponds, restoring the old Werribee train link, and increasing job pathways between the region’s tertiary education providers and employers.