Climate threats mean Geelong needs a real deal, report says

A COMMUNITY-driven research project has been released to chart a new way for Geelong as it struggles with the impact of climate transition.

The “A Real Deal for Geelong” report features testimony collected over six months from more than 200 Geelong residents, who shared stories about the impact of past economic transitions on the region, such as the closure of Ford and Alcoa, and how those experiences may inform future policy development.

Inspired by the international Green New Deal concept, the Real Deal project is co-ordinated nationally by the Sydney Policy Lab and began in 2019, with Geelong joining in November 2020.

The national and place-based coalitions define their mission as forging a new community-led relationship between market, state and civil society that works for people and the environment.

According to the A Real Deal for Geelong Community Listening Report, the listening campaign involved 38 table talks with 238 people from Geelong: 26 talks run by community organisations (141 people), five by unions (34 people) and seven by faith organisations (63 people).

 

Secure housing, meaningful work and affordable living, and care and connection for all were identified as the top three priorities emerging from the talks.

“The northern suburbs of Geelong were hit hardest and are still feeling the impact of the last major economic transition,” Cloverdale Community Centre chief executive officer Liz Bonner said.

“We want to ensure that the energy transition ahead is just and benefits all the community and that no one is left behind.

“We need to be wise about how we invest in the future to build a fairer Geelong.”

Victorian Trades Hall Council just transitions co-ordinator Colin Long said workers and the union movement were listening and taking action with other civil society groups.

“We need to learn from the past and work together to build policy solutions for a safe climate, secure work and affordable housing.”

The report was launched at Cloverdale Community Centre on May 10.

Speaking after the launch, City of Greater Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan was enthusastic about the A Real Deal report and its participants.

“The first thing I saw here was the passion, the commitment, the involvement of the community,” he said.

“What they have in this project is real, because the stakes are real. This affects people’s lives [and] how residents can live, how we can have affordable housing, how we can gain employment, how we can afford the cost of living, how we can have meaningful engagement… these are things that affect everybody’s lives, no matter who you are, no matter where you’re from.

“And it’s having everybody in the one room, which is vitally important, and that’s what’s been achieved here.

“I’m actually going to expect that we see real results out of this, and that’s not something you can say about every single forum.”

For more information or to read the A Real Deal Geelong Community Listening Report for Climate Transition, head to arealdeal.org