By Luke Voogt
Geelong has lost up to 60 jobs after the Federal Government awarded a $5 billion defence contract to Queensland instead of Victoria.
State Industry and Employment Minister Ben Carroll described the decision as a “betrayal” of regional Victoria.
“This is a disgraceful decision that’s based on the political interests of Malcolm Turnbull and his desperation to cling to marginal seats in Queensland,” Mr Carroll said.
But local coalition MP Simon Ramsay, while critical of the Commonwealth, blamed the government’s “sloppy lobbying”.
“The Andrews Government fiddled and diddled and ultimately muddled this major opportunity for Victorian jobs and manufacturing,” the Member for Western Victoria said.
Prime Minister Turnbull on Wednesday announced Rheinmetall had won the Land 400 Phase 2 tender, over BAE Systems.
The company will build the Australian Army’s next generation of combat reconnaissance vehicles in Queensland.
As part of its Victorian bid, BAE announced in November Marand would manufacture components of its vehicles in Geelong, creating 60 jobs.
The lack of Victorians on the National Security Committee influenced Federal Government’s final decision, Mr Carroll said.
Mr Ramsay agreed the “politics” of the security committee “won the day” but said the Victorian Government “had much to answer for” after its lobbying “fail”.
The State Government spent $5 million on a Defence Procurement Office in Waurn Ponds aimed at securing Land 400.
A change of lead staff within the early the days of the office delayed its activities, Mr Ramsay said.
The Victorian Government recently launched a $600,000 last-minute advertising blitz to win Land 400.
“I don’t know what that office had been doing up until then,” Mr Ramsay said.
Both Rheinmetall and BAE told the Indy they were open to basing operations in Geelong, when the Victorian Government in February 2017 announced Fisherman’s Bend as the “preferred location”.
“(The State Government) went from no messages to mixed-messages – raising Geelong’s hopes, then ultimately ditching the manufacturing prowess here in favour of Fishermen’s Bend,” Mr Ramsay said.Mr Ramsay was disappointed Federal Government had denied Geelong jobs.
“The next time the Defence Minister Christopher Pyne is in Geelong, he will need to deliver.”
