By NOEL MURPHY
LOBBY group G21 is consolidating itself as Geelong’s peak voice while council develops a new Enterprise Geelong agency with a similar role.
Overtures to review City Hall’s $400,000 funding of G21, a regional alliance body advocating to state and federal governments, have renewed amid council’s efforts to establish Enterprise Geelong, a unit to encourage investment and jobs.
Enterprise Geelong portfolio holder Cr Bruce Harwood came under attack from G21 director Bob Merriman this week for suggesting the funding review.
G21 chief Elaine Carbines defended its planning and advocacy role, pointing to a welter of recent meetings in Canberra to shore up Geelong’s electoral wish-list prior to the September federal election.
But she refused to comment on Cr Harwood’s review call.
“It’s business as usual for us,” Ms Carbines told the Independent.
“We’re very focused on advocating for investment in the region.
“We’re recognised internationally as a very high-performing organisation. The OECD identified G21 as an exemplar of collaboration, we were one of 10 chosen from around world and the only one outside Europe.”
G21 is an alliance of government, business and community bodies across the municipalities of greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Colac Otway, Golden Plains and Queenscliff.
In the past few weeks it met Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Premier Denis Napthine, federal opposition leaders Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop, a series of ministers and shadows and Greens leader Christine Milne.
Issues on the agenda included a Carbon Fibre Innovation Precinct, NDIS headquarters, Avalon Airport, the Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay’s harbour, a Geelong east-west ring road link, upgrading of the Midland Highway, a Geelong Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, intensive agriculture and regional trails.
“We have more than an advocacy role, we have a planning role as well,” Ms Carbines said.
“We’ve created a regional growth plan, a regional health and well-being strategy, a public transport strategy.
“We look forward to working with Enterprise Geelong. It’s an interesting concept but we’re going to be very focused on Geelong and the G21 region as a whole.”
