Council USA junket

Jessica Benton
CITY Hall will spend $18,000 to send Geelong councillor Bruce Harwood and two staff on a trip to America next week.
Cr Harwood, City economic development officer Cameron Brenton and Bio Geelong Network’s Dr Georgina Parker will attend a four-day biotechnology convention in Atlanta at a cost of $6000 each.
The expense will cover airfares, accommodation, meals and conference fees.
Cr Harwood, a policeman who holds council’s major events, tourism and strategic development portfolios, said the convention was a chance to rub shoulders with government officials and biotechnology experts.
“The benefits to the region will be the continued development of opportunities for our regional technology precinct at Deakin University,” he said.
“This is an opportunity to liaise with world leaders in bio-tech.
“Representatives from the biotechnology divisions within federal and state governments will also be attending this conference and this will provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Geelong’s commitment to further bio-tech development.
“This in turn will lead to job and infrastructure opportunities.”
Committee for Geelong executive director Peter Dorling backed the trip, saying it “critical” council representatives attended the conference.
“Biotechnology is one of the key futures to Geelong’s prosperity and we’re not going to make this happen by sitting at home with our thumbs in our mouths,” he said.
“Of all the trips council attends, I think this is definitely one of the most important.”
But Ian Stacey, a former Geelong councillor of 27 years, labelled the Atlanta trip a “junket”.
“This is an absolute waste of ratepayers’ money and there’s certainly better things to be spending the money on in our own backyard,” he said.
“I’d ask Cr Harwood whether, if it was such a good trip, would he be willing to pay for it out of his own councillor’s allowance.
“I can understand them sending a doctor and an economic development officer but a councillor who recently pulled out of a committee to select a new chief executive because of work commitments? How can he be going on this trip?”