By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Geelong’s Victorian Defence Procurement Office (VDPO) is virtually an empty shell with no plan or projects, Liberal Member for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson has claimed in Federal Parliament.
Ms Henderson said VDPO, based at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus, had seen little action and was an “embarrassment”.
“The VDPO was announced by Victorian Premier Andrews in March 2015. It was an election commitment of $5 million,” Ms Henderson said.
“It is meant to have state-wide responsibility and act on behalf of all Victorian based defence companies, marketing the skill and capability of Victorian and Geelong manufacturers to the largest defence contractors in the world.
“Five million dollars was provided over four years at $1.3 million a year. So far, it is made up of three people, two cars and an office at Deakin University, at Waurn Ponds, at a cost of $550,000 a year.
“From what I understand, there are no investment programs, no projects being delivered, there is no plan for Defence jobs and there are no decisions made on how this additional $2.8 million is going to be spent.
“Compared with the slick operation at Defence SA, Victoria’s efforts in securing defence projects, in advocating for our region and for our state, have been an absolute embarrassment.
“This was a big commitment by the Andrews government and it is incredibly disappointing to see so little action on the ground and no plan.”
Ms Henderson said the multibillion-dollar LAND 400 defence program would deliver 225 armed combat vehicles for the Army.
One contractor, Team Sentinel, has promised to build an integration and turret manufacturing facility in Geelong if its tender was successful.
The facility would create around 300 jobs locally with around 500 across Victoria.
Ms Henderson said she had met with another large defence player bidding for the LAND 400 project.
“They are intending to construct a $100 million innovation and advanced manufacturing facility.
“They have not decided on the location but, as I conveyed in no uncertain terms, with our region’s skills in vehicles assembly, advanced manufacturing and defence, Corangamite and the Geelong region is very much the right place to base this facility.”
Ms Henderson said that if the money should otherwise be spent on a job creation scheme such as the Geelong Region Job Connections program.
A spokesperson said since coming to office the Andrews Labor Government had welcomed a $1.3 billion Commonwealth contract to build the next generation of military vehicles in Victoria and the Air 5428 RAAF pilot-training facility.
“The VDPO has engaged with Victorian companies on potential supply chain and investment opportunities associated with these recent defence procurement successes,” he said.
“It has engaged with industry in relation to LAND 400 Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles and SEA 1000 Future Submarines and helped coordinate a number of activities in support of the Defence Industry Strategy.
“The VDPO is also in the process of developing a state-wide defence industry engagement plan.”
