By Luke Voogt
More than 200 jobs might be up for grabs at WorkSafe’s new Geelong headquarters as some staff decline to leave Melbourne, a state minister told the Indy yesterday (Thursday).
About 70 per cent of the authority’s Melbourne staff who had been asked to relocate under stage one of the transition had made the move, Finance Minister Robin Scott said.
The trend suggested that WorkSafe would need many new recruits to fill its eventual staffing level of 700-plus employees and contractors in Geelong, he said
“If that continued you’d be looking at around 200 people from Geelong.
“It will depend on how many people determine to (relocate). Some people have family commitments et cetera in Melbourne and won’t be moving.
“Certainly there’ll be some expectations that some people will be hired from Geelong.”
Mr Scott visited Geelong yesterday as the authority completed the first stage of its relocation and met many of the 150-plus staff who were working temporarily in Geelong’s TAC headquarters.
“Already there are people being employed locally,” he said.
“I’ve met people from Geelong who are working their first few days.”
WorkSafe’s $120 million headquarters on Malop Street is on schedule for completion in June 2018.
Mr Scott was keen to promote the new wave of workers moving to Geelong, describing it as a boon for the region.
More than 40 WorkSafe employees had bought houses in Geelong creating jobs in the construction and other industries, he said.
“People who moved down to Melbourne are very pleased with the move and are really loving the lifestyle,” he said.
“The experienced has been really positive with the local community welcoming them.”
Mr Scott described the new locals as “evangelists for Geelong”.
“Geelong has new group of marketers not just for the lifestyle but for the community.”
New WorkSafe resident Alicia Crabtree was looking forward to exploring the Bellarine Peninsula and jumping into the surf with her children.
“We spend a lot of time at the beach with dogs – the coastline here is absolutely beautiful,” she said.
“I have all these different places to explore.”
Ms Crabtree moved from Frankston to Ocean Grove with her partner and three children recently.
“The surf club has been very inviting and the primary school has been amazing in getting our children settled and making them feel like part of the community,” she said.
The move also saved her two hours’ commuting daily.
“It’s been a huge bonus in relocating to the Bellarine,” she said.
“We can live in an amazing location and I’ve, basically, gained two extra hours with my kids each day.”
