Bypass link a state priority

Governments must get to work on a link between Geelong’s bypass and the Bellarine Peninsula in the next two years to help “maintain Victoria’s liveability”, according to a peak employers’ body.
Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) included a series of other projects around the Geelong region in a report on the body’s annual Victoria Summit.
Chamber chief Wayne Kayler-Thomson said this year’s summit considered “a host of short, medium and long-term” regional projects essential to the state’s future.
Other VECCI “priorities” for the next two years included a Geelong maritime industry precinct, Portarlington’s harbour redevelopment and a Great Ocean Road interpretive centre.
The chamber listed Port of Geelong improvements as “medium-term” priorities for 2012 to 2014, while encouraging additional direct flights to Avalon was on the long-term list for 2015 to 2025.
Mr Kayler-Thomson said VECCI would use the summit report to lobby state and federal governments.
Population “pressures” and world trade growth in the next 20 years would benefit Victoria but also put “enormous pressure” on its infrastructure, he said.
Mr Kayler-Thomson wanted a “vision” for Victoria to satisfy forecasts of Melbourne becoming Australia’s largest city in the 2020s.
“Regional Victoria will have an important part to play in absorbing its share of population growth. For example, Geelong will grow by 100,000 residents by the 2030s and Ballarat and Bendigo by 50,000,” he said.
“This means that links between regional centres and Melbourne need to be maintained as the population grows. Also, regional cities should be better linked to each other to help reduce reliance on Melbourne and to build the regional economy.”
Mr Kayler-Thomson suggested four-lane duplicated roads linking Geelong with Colac, Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton.
The infrastructure could help improve regional centres for both residents and tourists, he said.
“As many regional centres transform from blue-collar towns to lifestyle centres we have to be prepared to invest in their liveability, which means improved transport, health, social, cultural, and recreational infrastructure, some of which will also drive economic activity,” he said.
“Furthermore, regional nature-based attractions attract higher-yielding tourists and governments should be prepared to invest in developing these.”