By NOEL MURPHY
It’s hard not to see Geelong as the key player in the State election later this year.
Its profile right now is soaring as high as it’s been perhaps any time in the past 50 years.
Grand finals, Pyramid, Ablett, you name it, none have matched the bitter-sweet combination of Ford, Alcoa and Shell job fears coupled with an outlandish, larger-than-life mayor in garnering Geelong national and international attention.
Political parties, desperate to shore up their economic credentials, are acutely aware their prospects could turn on a pin when mohawk mayor Darryn Lyons tweets or posts his million-plus online followers or utters his support or dislike for their notions.
They can’t afford not to seriously heed what Lyons – in his patented outrageous fashion – decides Geelong wants. He’s the loudest squeaky wheel Geelong’s seen in years and there’s every chance he will turn the pollies’ marginal electorate pork-barrelling brinkmanship into a new art form.
The current hung parliament, which the Baillieu/Napthine government previously maintained by only a single vote, is ostensibly Labor’s for the taking. A state swing of around four per cent against the coalition, a manufacturing downturn, transport and health services under pressure, and more, back this up all too clearly.
Here in Geelong, redrafted electoral boundaries have made the seats of Bellarine and South Barwon nominally more Liberal, and the seat of Geelong stronger Labor. With long-termer Ian Trezise retiring from Geelong, and long-time party hack Christine Couzens taking up Labor pre-selection, the Liberals would reasonably suspect themselves a chance.
That alone could be enough to get Denis Napthine back over the line. And judging by his regular appearances in Geelong, and his ministers too – not to mention federal coalition compatriots – he thinks so too.
Bellarine, previously held by the Liberals, is now a chance again. Lisa Neville has a challenge on her hands even before the Lib pre-selection has been sorted. And South Barwon, already held by the Libs’ Andrew Katos, looks stronger under its new boundaries.
There’s no such thing as too many photo opportunities where politicians are concerned. And where there’s Darryn Lyons, there are photographers.
The fact that when Lyons’ mouth is going, it’s always talking up Geelong’s potential, its prospects – and the role these play in wider state and national economies – makes Geelong a political consideration that has to be taken seriously by any political party interested in not only Geelong’s future but its own future.
SEE: We’re in hot seats http://is.gd/GpparS
