Labor says local workers will build Geelong’s convention centre

THE state Labor government has promised local companies will be heavily involved in constructing the long-awaited Geelong Convention Centre.

Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford, Geelong MP Christine Couzens and Labor candidate for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman met near the state government’s preferred site for the 1,000-seat facility at the Geelong waterfront last Wednesday to declare the Geelong Convention Centre was now a “strategic project” under the Local Jobs First policy, meaning it will be required to use 90 per cent local content.

This includes labour, building materials and fittings such as concrete, glass and steel, as well as professional services such as engineering and design.

Local Jobs First also mandates the use of local apprentices, trainees and cadets.

The convention centre will create up to 600 jobs during construction and 270 ongoing jobs.

Ms Pulford said Labor had set local requirements for about 100 strategic projects worth a total of $58 billion across Victoria.

“The Industry Capability Network is very much open for contact from Geelong businesses that want to register and be involved in the pre-procurement part of the work.”

The federal Coalition is yet to match Labor’s $153 million commitment to the City Deal initiative, and Ms Pulford made reference to September’s leak of a list showing the Coalition had earmarked $153 million for Geelong’s City Deal.

“There’s no really obvious reason to us about such a delay.

“We just wait, hopefully not much longer, for the federal government to confirm the decision I think we know they’ve all made and committing to a project that we think we know is real, and then we’ll get started.”

Other than $3.5 million committed in late September towards works on the Geelong waterfront, the Coalition has been tight-lipped about what will and will not be in the final City Deal, which was earlier predicted to be wrapped up by September or October this year.

Federal Labor has already pledged to commit $153 million if it wins the election, which must be held no later than May 2019.