Political stoush stalls deal

GEELONG’S so-called city ‘deal’ remains at an impasse because the state and federal governments are yet to agree on how to spend the $300 million they’ve promised.

Determined to break the deadlock, leaders from the region are planning a trip to Canberra later this month while also heaping pressure on the State Government.

The G21 Alliance represent- atives have sought a meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and locked in talks with federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, Cities Minister Alan Tudge and his Labor shadow, Anthony Albanese.

Mr Morrison visited Geelong in October, pledging $153 million for the city deal to match the cash budgeted by Premier Daniel Andrews. The City of Greater Geelong has also promised to chip in $15 million.

The federal money was carefully allocated, with amounts specified to a range of projects, but was made contingent on the Coalition winning this year’s election.

The state took a different approach.

Its money was confirmed in last year’s Budget, but the funding split was not set in stone.

What it has specified is that money will flow towards projects for central Geelong, including a convention and exhibition centre, the revital- isation of the CBD and the safe harbour, as well as projects along the Shipwreck Coast.

Each of those projects was allocated funds under Mr Morrison’s proposed version of the city deal, which came nine months after his predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, joined Deputy Premier James Merlino and agreed to ink a city deal.

But more than a year later, the deal is yet to be agreed upon and the federal election looms.

G21 chief Elaine Carbines said the sticking point was around other projects the Coalition planned to fund, including support for a research and innovation precinct at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus and upgrades of the Queenscliff ferry terminal, Apollo Bay harbour and Lorne’s Point Grey.

Ms Carbines said G21 was striving to secure funding for each of the projects while getting the state and federal governments to agree on what should be funded in the deal and what would sit outside it.

“We’ve got a split in where the city deal’s heading,” she said. “We want this finalised.

“It’s gone on for too long now, and we don’t want it just to be waited out as we approach the federal election.

“We want to see this come to fruition, and we want to see the projects delivered, but while there’s an impasse as to what’s to be included we’re fearful these negotiations have bogged right down.”