By Luke Voogt
Local leaders should lobby the State Government to base some of a $5 billion army manufacturing project in Geelong, according to a group seeking defence contracts for the region.
They should step in to make up for the silence of the region’s state Labor MPs on the Land 400 combat vehicle, said Geelong Defence Alliance chair Clive Pugh.
“We haven’t seen Christine Couzens, John Erens and Lisa Nevilles jumping up and down to get it here,” he said.
Mr Pugh was responding to last week’s Indy story revealing that two companies bidding for the $5 billion contract were open to basing operations in Geelong.
Their interest in Geelong was at odds with state Industry Minister Wade Noonan, who said they preferred Fishermans Bend, in Melbourne.
Mr Pugh said Geelong could host “phase two” of the Land 400 project but the Government must come clean on the preferred base.
He said the Government probably preferred Melbourne because it owned a former Holden factory in Fisherman’s Bend that could accommodate the project.
“I’m a little less suspicious of the political motives rather than the practicalities of getting it done.
“But from an industry point of view it annoys us that it becomes a political football between local, State and Federal Government.”
Elaine Carbines, the chief of local municipal alliance body G21, said Geelong was “very unlikely proposition” based on the “evidence provided by the minister and senior bureaucrats”.
“I have no reason to suspect there would be any benefit to the State Government or the Federal Government in offering the opportunity of Geelong.”
Ms Carbines said she had yet to speak with remaining bidders BAE or Rheimetal but trusted her State Government contacts.
“Our focus is now on securing aspects of the project for Geelong.
“It’s unhelpful to continually analyse it. I think it undermines our chances of securing the contract for Victoria.”
Geelong council administrator Doctor Kathy Alexander said the city was “well-suited to supporting” a winning Victorian bid regardless of its siting due to Geelong’s “superior” manufacturing assets.
“There are many components that go into a finished vehicle.
“We will continue to work with the State Government and the two remaining contenders on the opportunities that Geelong businesses present.”
The Victorian and South Australian governments are vying to host the project, with the latter offering a $100 million support package.
