By Luke Voogt
Canberra has held out on relocating Comcare to Geelong despite council claims the move would create almost 1900 jobs in the city.
A Geelong delegation met ministers and policy makers in Canberra this week but returned on Wednesday without a commitment.
Neither the government nor opposition committed to a deadline for deciding on the relocation, said delegation leader and acting mayor Peter Murrihy.
“They were pretty coy about that,” Cr Murrihy.
“I got the impression (an announcement) wasn’t imminent but it was at the forefront of their discussions. We certainly hope it’s in the very near future.“
Cr Murrihy was “hopeful” after speaking with Regional Development Minister John McVeigh’s senior advisor and Labor shadow minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
“We were very happy with the way the delegation went and how it got across.”
The delegation argued Comcare would complement Geelong’s NDIA, TAC and Worksafe headquarters.
“The four together would make a one-of-a-kind social insurance hub in Australia,” Cr Murrihy said.
“Our case was that Geelong was a lifestyle choice and a great place to live and work.”
The delegation visited Canberra after City Hall released research saying the relocation would inject $550 million into Geelong’s economy and indirectly create 1871 jobs, including 600 directly with Comcare and 86 during construction.
The research contradicted Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) predictions the relocation would create far fewer Geelong jobs.
“We wouldn’t expect the whole workforce to move to Geelong,” Cr Murrihy admitted.
“But I think our expectations are realistic. The resistance from the union is expected as it would be from various organisations.”
The research, by Bendigo-based planning consultant Remplan, predicted that moving both Comcare’s Melbourne and Canberra offices to Geelong would create 600 local jobs.
In May last year CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood disputed claims the relocation would bring 600 jobs to Geelong.
“Comcare staff are spread throughout Australia, as they need to be to carry out their work,” she told the Indy.
“Relocating Comcare’s central office to Geelong wouldn’t bring anywhere near the hundreds of jobs that some people are speculating about.”
The most recent delegation did not meet with the union or Comcare, Cr Murrihy said.
