PM’S MESSAGE

AS you celebrate your 20th anniversary, I’m delighted to send this message of support to the Committee for Geelong and to the people of the magnificent city and region that you serve.

These are tough times, when the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to be felt across our nation, including periods of lockdown in Victoria.

When the Covid-19 pandemic began, I said that Australians were about to discover just how strong we are. We did find that strength, and it continues to sustain us. Geelong is no exception.

On the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung people, the city draws wealth from the ocean and the land. But always, and above all, its greatest resource is its people.

I want to thank the residents of Geelong for your courage in helping chart a course to the other side. For arming yourselves with the vaccine – our doses of hope – and for complying with public health orders. For resolutely pushing through.

In your fortitude and resilience, and care and compassion for each other, you maintain confidence and build hope in your community.

Looking to the future, the Committee for Geelong’s priorities – transport, infrastructure and planning for population growth – are critically important to claiming that new ground and inspiring change.

And partnerships with this government have been pivotal to progress. Together, we are revitalising the city of Geelong and the broader regional economy and investing in faster, congestion-free travel. It’s a shared endeavour to face the challenges of now and create a prosperous future.

Congratulations again to the Committee for Geelong. Your intimate regional knowledge, extensive research and advocacy are helping to construct a world-class city of strength and purpose.