Rubbish, tourism mix in Saudi trip talk

An unlikely combination of waste management and tourism could send a Geelong delegation to Saudi Arabia.
A group of Saudis offered to pay for representatives of Barwon Regional Waste Management Group and Geelong’s council to visit the country after inspecting the city’s rubbish system last month.
The visit concluded with the Saudis branching out from waste management to meet Geelong councillor Bruce Harwood, regional tourism chief Roger Grant and City Hall officer Terry Demeo.
A statement from the waste group said the visit canvassed forming an “eco sister region relationship” between Geelong and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hasa.
Waste group chief Enzo Bruscella said the visit could also lead to the formation of a “tourism alliance”.
Other discussion issues included potential for developing a “regional education centre with an environmental theme in collaboration with Saudi Arabia,” Mr Bruscella said.
Cr Harwood, who has controversially travelled overseas representing council, said he had no plans to visit Saudi Arabia “at this point in time”.
“The invitation was more out of courtesy to look at their infrastructure,” he said.