City of Greater Geelong rejoins G21 Regional Alliance, commits to reduced funding

Geelong council has voted to rejoin the G21 alliance, just days before the city was set to pull funding from the regional lobby group.

Geelong council has announced it will recommit to the G21 Regional Alliance with a reduced contribution, a year after the city spectacularly withdrew from the lobby group. Pictured: G21 chief executive Giulia Baggio (main), Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan (inset).

Geelong council has announced it will recommit to the G21 Regional Alliance with a reduced commitment, almost a year after the city withdrew from the lobby group.

City Hall and G21 have issued a joint statement spruiking a “refreshed” partnership, however the city’s contribution has been slashed.

Geelong councillors voted in May last year to cull the city’s contribution from April 2024 amid rising financial pressures.

City Hall was by far the biggest partner in the alliance, contributing more than $500,000 a year prior to 2023 – around three quarters of G21’s total revenue from members.

In a behind closed doors vote on Tuesday night, councillors voted to reverse their decision, endorsing a three-year deal that will see the city commit $250,000 in 2024-25.

Negotiations between City Hall and G21 went down to the wire, with the council voting to endorse the deal just days before the city was set to pull funding.

Mayor Trent Sullivan said the new deal was an “improved and refined approach” that aligned with the city’s new regional advocacy framework.

“We are stronger when we work together,’’ he said.

G21 chair Melissa Stephens welcomed City Hall back into the fold, as did Give Where You Live chief executive Bill Mithen, who himself chaired G21 for five years.

Mr Mithen said G21 was a positive force for the region.

“Other local governments look to G21 with envy, the state government values its contribution and the federal government values it highly in terms of the strategic information it provides,” he said.

“It’s good Geelong council have seemed to recognise that now and have come back.”

Urbis’s Geelong director, Nat Anson, said G21 was “more essential than ever”.

He said stakeholders must work collaboratively to ensure the region’s key assets, including Avalon Airport, Geelong Port and the Great Ocean Road, continue to benefit from investment.

“The G21 region has unlimited potential for growth and prosperity, but it needs major infrastructure investment to deliver,” he said.

“The G21 Regional Alliance has proven essential to delivering that message to decision-makers beyond our region.”

However, both City Hall and G21 must leverage resources within current budget restraints.

Geelong’s contribution in previous years formed around three quarters of the funding G21 received from its members.

Surf Coast contributed around $70,000 a year, while Golden Plains contributed $48,000 and Colac Otway Shire $46,000 in 2023-24.

The alliance recorded a $234,818 deficit in 2022-23.

G21 last week released its 2024 Priority Projects list, which included upgraded travel connections linking Geelong and the region, major investment in cultural and tourism infrastructure, and faster delivery of mental health hubs in central Geelong, Corio, Torquay and Colac.

Later this year, the five G21 mayors will travel to Canberra and Spring St to spruik investment in the region to state and federal ministers.

Originally published as City of Greater Geelong rejoins G21 Regional Alliance, commits to reduced funding