Advocating for our region’s interests

THE Greater Geelong and Bellarine region owes much to its location.

The unique nature of where we are provides us with many competitive advantages, which has led to some of the fastest business growth in regional Australia.

However, we not only want to attract world-leading industries and services to strengthen and further diversify our modern economy, we also want to retain what we have as well.

Building and growing our profile as a place to invest, do business, visit and study is a crucial part of cementing our position as a city of global significance.

But Council is also committed to playing a key role in advocating for the needs of our businesses and our people who are here already.

We understand that with suitable infrastructure, premier access via road, rail, air and sea, and available land, we are ideally positioned for further economic growth.

What we also know is that there are always areas that require attention and investment, and that having solid working relationships with state and federal politicians is crucial for our region’s ongoing development.

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of visiting Spring Street to meet with Victorian government ministers and members of parliament, to discuss some of the issues Council is seeking state support and investment for.

Some of these include Bellarine transport, the Potato Shed redevelopment, shared trails, affordable housing, and waste management.

Bellarine residents know all too well that these are matters of great importance to our region.

And as the fastest growing regional city in Australia, the City of Greater Geelong has a lead role to play in advocating for the collective interests of our entire region.

With high population growth and a surging economy, we must ensure we continue to improve infrastructure and services.

Council’s budget, which will be finalised in June, went some way to addressing some of the issues I spoke about in Spring Street,

But as we highlighted, the City’s finances stretch only so far, and as such we rely on the funding from the state and Commonwealth.

Recent announcements confirming what had previously been promised from the Victorian government around legacy projects from the Commonwealth Game was warmly received.

Across housing, sporting and recreation infrastructure, Council is determined to see the legacy outcomes that had been promised to us, as a co-host of the Games, flow through to the community.

And I look forward to seeing some of those projects commence work in the coming months.

But those announcements do not take away from the fact our region – and the Bellarine in particular – continues to require significant investment in public and active transport connections.

We need a vibrant central Geelong, but we need a safe and accessible way for tourists to be able to reach the Bellarine, and a usable transport network to be able to navigate the area once they are here.

We need more affordable housing right across the municipality so that nobody is left behind.

And we need a thriving arts hub that caters to the growing number of people who visit us each year and who call the Bellarine home.

Council is continually looking for ways to partner with our state and federal governments to help provide the infrastructure our growing population need, and I am grateful for the opportunity of being able to meet with members of the Victorian parliament this week.

Cr Trent Sullivan

Mayor, City of Greater Geelong