Councils, business groups share Geelong’s priorities ahead of state budget

Major investment in Avalon Airport by the Victorian government is crucial and will create thousands of jobs and help Geelong take flight, city leaders say.

Geelong's big budget day wish list revealed. Picture: Supplied.

Major investment in Avalon Airport by the Victorian government was crucial and would create thousands of jobs and help Geelong take flight, city leaders have said on the eve of the state budget.

Key city figures also said the region desperately needed a cash injection for housing and infrastructure, but stakeholdersare concerned the government’s “razor gang” will not deliver.

Investment in Avalon airport is a top priority for many in Geelong ahead of Tuesday’s state budget: NewsWire / Aaron Francis

In a budget set to be characterised by massive cuts and savings measures, Geelong business and local government leaders have identified upgrades to the airport as a leading priority.

Speaking to the Geelong Advertiser, G21 alliance CEO Giulia Baggio, who’s organisation represents government, business and community organisations, said “10,000 jobs could be created,” if the state matched the commitment already made by the federal government.

“We could begin opening up Victoria’s second airport, transport links and a major business zone, which is set to house a significant defence, manufacturing industry,” she said.

That sentiment was echoed by the Committee for Geelong, with the economic advisory group’s chief executive, Michael Johnston, saying Avalon “continues to cry out for investment”.

Both groups also emphasised a dire need for more investment in affordable housing against the backdrop of an ongoing crisisin the region.

Housing was also a central feature of the state budget submission made by the City of Greater Geelong, which is asking the Allan government to commit enough funding to build at least 10 per cent of the housing stock within planned growth targets.

“It is important to note that the Victorian government has set a target of over 128,000 new homes in our region by 2051 – that means we need to see a timely response to the growing need for infrastructure,” Mayor Stretch Kontelj said.

Both the Geelong and Surf Coast councils, as well as interest groups around the region have identified social and affordable housing as a top investment priority. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Kontelj also said that while social housing investment was crucial, civic infrastructure was also in desperate need ofa top-up, with the city asking Spring St for $5m towards the Geelong Health Innovation Precinct, $10m for the Corio Menta Health Hub, as well as multimillion-dollar redevelopments of its art gallery and Bellarine Art Centre.

Council is also asking the state to redevelop the Geelong Station Precinct, and begin investigating and investing in fastrail services to Melbourne, although the premier made clear in 2023 her government was no longer able to deliver the latter.

Not likely: City of Greater Geelong asked for fast rail investment in it submission for this year’s state budget, but the state swung the axe on that idea in 2023. Picture: David Crossling

Also keen to get its fair share of the pie is the Surf Coast Shire, with Mayor Mike Bodsworth telling the Geelong Advertiserhe wants to see sustained and indexed levels of funding for the essential services that benefit the shire’s “growing population”.

That includes adequate funding for lifesaving, school crossings, and the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority.

The Surf Coast Shire wants sufficient and sustainable funding for essential services like the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority, which manages and protects all public land along the iconic Great Ocean Road. Picture: Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority.

The mayor also joined other stakeholders in calling for urgent funding to address the housing crisis, while also expressing the shire’s desire for a budget that invests revenue collected from short-stay accommodation operators back “into the areaswhere it is collected, noting the large percentage of short-stay rental properties in our region”.

Originally published as Councils, business groups share Geelong’s priorities ahead of state budget