Canberra lobbying for city’s future

GEELONG’S civic leaders have completed a two-day Canberra tour lobbying both sides of the political divide to fund projects they say will shape the city’s future.

A G21-led alliance, including members from Geelong council, the Borough of Queenscliffe and the Surf Coast Shire, met with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack during the 16-meeting trip.

G21 chief executive Elaine Carbines said the delegation’s trip to Canberra was a “frontfoot” approach to advocacy directed at key ministers and shadow ministers.

“We must never assume that ministers who come from many parts of the nation will automatically know or understand what is happening in our region, nor what resources our region needs,” Ms Carbines said. “There is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting to present a professional well-argued case.”

“We go armed to these meetings with data, research and factual reports that we know, from experience, find their way back to advisers and departments for follow-up and action.

“Waiting for a meeting with them when they happen, occasionally, to visit our region is a poor, second-best outcome.”

Ms Carbines said the delegation had lobbied for Federal Labor to match the $153.2 million from its state counterparts for a Geelong City Deal.

“It was a really good meeting and we gave (Mr Shorten) an understanding of our priorities for the region,” Ms Carbines said.

Ms Carbines said the meetings came at a “crucial time” for the region, as the specifics of a City Deal were decided upon.

“We sought through our meetings to ensure future federal announcements are informed, relevant to the region’s needs and funded. Obviously, we weren’t expecting firm commitments during our meetings,” she said.

Ms Carbines said other meetings also focused on securing federal funding for the Northern ARC health precinct in Corio.

Ms Carbines said the trip was “worth it” because of the number of federal politicians they met in a short period, an outcome highly unlikely in Geelong.

The delegation was also expected to lobby for upgrades to the Great Ocean Road, upgraded regional rail and bolstering the central Geelong revitalisation.

G21 and the City of Greater Geelong will send another delegation to Canberra this month to lobby for the relocation of Comcare to Geelong.

Comcare oversees workplace health and safety.