Developer lobby sets up in region

Victoria’s peak lobbyist for developers is moving into Geelong after judging the region as the “biggest development front” in Australia.
Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Victoria branch launched its Geelong chapter with a waterfront cocktail party on Wednesday night.
Prominent Geelong businessman Frank Costa and representatives from City Hall and Barwon Water joined some of the state’s biggest developers and industry organisations at the launch. The institute has about 300 members ranging from publicly-listed developers to councils and banks.
The institute lobbies governments and other authorities on behalf of members, with targets ranging from taxes and government policy down to individual development applications.
Victoria executive director Tony De Domenico said the institute had decided to open a Geelong chapter after noting the region’s “enormous growth potential”.
He expected the region to outstrip other fast-growing centres across Australia, including Queensland’s Gold Coast, to become the national number one for residential building.
“We had to be here,” Mr De Domenico said.
“With Armstrong Creek and the coastal areas it is going to be the biggest development front in Australia.”
Mr De Domenico said the institute had the ear of all levels of government.
“We’re happy to say we get on very well with (Planning Minister) Justin Madden, Premier Brumby and the opposition as well,” Mr De Domenico said.
“Most councils (in Victoria) are members as well, so we also have access to people in senior levels at councils.”
Mr De Domenico said the guiding hand of the institute would help produce optimal community outcomes from residential development.
The institute had a code of ethics for members and encouraged them to achieve sustainable development, he said.
“Gone are the days when the development industry was called the white-shoe brigade,” Mr De Domenico said.
“Look at some of the developments now and environmental and heritage issues are at the forefront before applications even go in. This is a really sustainable industry we’re talking about.
“We’re not talking about bringing in bulldozers to get rid of everything that moves and putting houses on it.”
Mr De Domenico expected the institute to encounter community resistance to some projects with the organisation’s backing. But talks with council representatives and Committee for Geelong had revealed a will to drive appropriate development, he said.
“There is a desire that development in Geelong isn’t stalled by issues that shouldn’t be there,” Mr De Domenico said.
“There is also a realisation development must occur or Geelong will be left way behind other regions of Victoria.”