Political and civic figures have attacked the Andrews Government’s failure to provide funding for a Geelong convention centre.
Opposition MPs and former premier Jeff Kennett slammed the lack of commitment to the city’s top priority project.
State-appointed council administrator Kathy Alexander and G21 chief Elaine Carbines also weighed in, respectively labelling the funding failure a setback and a “major disappointment”.
Any funding commitment will now wait until at least 2018, election year in Victoria.
Last year Premier Daniel Andrews said the “time for talk” was over.
“We’re getting the crucially needed planning and business case done so we can consider it ahead of the next budget,” Mr Andrews said.
But after this week’s draft budget failed to include funding, Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford said the government still had to “get the project right”.
The budget snub was widely condemned.
“Earlier this year, the Andrew Government said the centre would be considered for funding. Clearly, it was not considered important enough,” Upper House MP Simon Ramsay told parliament.
“This convention centre is not a political toy. It is a desperately needed facility that is required right now.
“Geelong is leaking opportunities to other towns and cities, and that represents lost jobs and growth.”
Mr Kennett lambasted the funding flop on Twitter.
“No funding in Vic Budget for Geelong Contention Centre. The one proposal that had universal support for economic activity and jobs,” Mr Kennett posted.
Dr Alexander, the chair of Geelong’s council administrators, expressed disappointment.
“Strong communities deal with setbacks. I’m sure Geelong will do just that,” she told the Indy.
Ms Carbines, who leads the region’s councils alliance body, was disappointed “particularly given our long-established need, (the centre’s) forecast economic impact and the assurances (that) have been coming from government.
“We need it to happen, and I’m confident it will, but the business case is long overdue and way past the deadline the government set itself.”
Geelong has been pushing for a convention centre since the 1950s.
The current bid dates back a decade but last year the Indy revealed confusion among local stakeholders on who should lead the proposal.
The lack of leadership emerged after the Indy revealed the government had failed to contact Deakin University about its waterfront car park, the preferred site for the convention centre.
A month later the government confirmed the car park as the proposed site, with the centre costed at $350 million.
