Govt coy on Comcare
Council, Marles join push for agency’s move to Geelong but ...
EMPLOYMENT Minister Michaelia Cash is tight-lipped over a potential move of Comcare headquarters from Canberra to Geelong.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has led the push within the Federal Government to relocate more bureaucrats to regional centres, with a major review under way.
The Committee for Geelong and the Transport Accident Commission have backed
City of Greater Geelong investment director Brett Luxford said the municipality welcomed the relocation of Comcare “and any other agency within the social insurance and disability sector”.
“Geelong has a natural strength and advantage in this industry with the presence of the Transport and Accident Commission, WorkSafe and the National Disability and Insurance Agency all located in Geelong,” Mr Luxford said.
“The concentration of social insurance agencies offering an availability of skilled workers, a network of supporting businesses, opportunities for local service organisations and the potential for new construction to support any relocation is a real positive for the Geelong economy.”
The push to decentralise federal departments is not without its opponents, including former prime minister Robert Menzies’s daughter Heather Henderson, who claimed recently that her father would be appalled by the potential erosion of Canberra’s employment base.
Moves are already underway to shift the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s base from Canberra to Armidale.
Corio MP Richard Marles said the potential relocation of Comcare would complement the TAC and NDIA.
“Geelong has all the required capability and skills needed to accommodate Comcare and it would be a real win for the local economy,” the Labor MP said.
Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson declined to comment directly on Comcare but said she would “continue to fight for every opportunity for our region”.
Government ministers met last month in Canberra with representatives from the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and National Farmers’ Federation, among other groups to discuss the flow-on effects of bureaucratic decentralisation towards the private sector.