By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A LABOR state government would pump an extra $7.5 million into a Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund (GRIIF), according to Lara MP John Eren.
Mr Eren accused Premier Denis Napthine in parliament of failing to develop a Geelong jobs plan.
Mr Eren told parliament the ALP would back new business opportunities and ideas and support the region’s key drivers of growth by investing $12 million into the GRIIF.
“Support from government is particularly important in new and emerging sectors such as advanced manufacturing, where even small amounts of support can be the difference between success and failure,” Mr Eren said.
Other initiatives in the ALP plan included $3 million to support a new manufacturing hub, $1 million for Victorian Transport Association’s logistics cadetship program and $4 million to undertake a detailed corridor planning study to extend Geelong’s ring road to the Bellarine Peninsula.
“Given the recent announcement from Qantas that it will be axing 300 jobs from Avalon Airport, the Geelong community requires a government that will take action,” Mr Eren said.
He accused State Government of “dropping the ball” on Geelong.
“With no real leadership Geelong has been left without a government to help it through tough times”.
A spokesperson for Dr Napthine claimed Labor’s plan amounted to a cut of $7 million from the GRIIF by wasting time and money on a study State Government had already completed.
“Labor’s so-called plan is more about hot air than it is about delivering real benefits for the Geelong economy.”
The spokesman said state government had generated 2147 jobs through a range of strategic projects.
These included Epworth Hospital, Cotton On headquarters, NDIS headquarters, Geelong Hospital, Waurn Ponds Community Hospital and the recently approved Karingal Kommercial and St Mary’s redevelopment projects.
