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Friday, 7 February, 2014 Page 3
PM invites city’s pitch for $10b combat work By NOEL MURPHY GEELONG’S bid for a $10 billion combat vehicle contract will go to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s office and senior cabinet ministers after securing the formal backing of Premier Denis Napthine this week. Mayor Darryn Lyons said he would spearhead the Canberra campaign next Thursday, at Mr Abbott’s behest, to secure the world’s largest armoured combat vehicle manufacturing project. The Land 400 Sentinel Military Vehicle job is a $10 billion designand-manufacturing program with
funding from the Australian Government’s Defence Capability Plan. Geelong is arguing its credentials on the grounds of its vehicle manufacturing expertise, its leadership in advanced composite manufacture, through Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus, and the imperative to aid the transition of Ford workers set to lose their local jobs by 2016. The Land 400 program will require high technology manufacturing, advanced composite production, software development and maintenance, vehicle system integration and logistics skills.
“This is a long, long-term project for the future of the city but it’s the biggest procurement in the world and the mayor wants it in Geelong,” Cr Lyons told the Independent. “That’s why I’m going to extraordinary lengths to lobby for this and nail this for the city. “For the first time in a long time, everyone in Geelong, from the mayor, the Committee for Geelong and G21 to the chamber of commerce, is speaking with the one voice. That has to set the tone for the future of Geelong.” Cr Lyons said Dr Napthine had offered the formal support of the Victo-
rian Government to the Geelong bid. City Hall’s Enterprise Geelong unit is drafting a document outlining Geelong’s case and including Dr Napthine’s statement of support. Mr Abbott invited Geelong to put its case to his office. Cr Lyons said the delegation expected to also meet Defence Minister David Johnston, assistant minister for Defence Stuart Robert, senior prime ministerial advisors, Geelong MPs Sarah Henderson and Richard Marles and some of his federal opposition colleagues.
In brief Bike back A 15-YEAR-OLD Drysdale boy has been reunited with his BMX bike after a robber stole it from him at a Geelong bus stop days before Christmas. Victoria Police said a “vigilant community member” found the bike in Ryrie St last week after media reports of the robbery.
Cats record GEELONG Football Club is closing on a membership record after signing up 30,000 fans for 2014 so far, according to Cats executive Steve Hocking. He said the club was aiming for 50,000 members, with the tally already 2000 ahead of the same time last year.
Trezise quits MEMBER for Geelong Ian Trezise has announced he will retire from state politics at November’s election. The Labor MP has held the seat since 1999, forcing the party into a preselection vote as the Liberals also finalise their candidate.
Shark scare A SHARK has forced beachgoers out of the water at Lorne. Surf lifesavers reported an apparently two-metrelong shark off Lorne’s beach near noon on Sunday. An inflatable boat and a helicopter were used to herd the animal to deeper water.
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Sea Dragon comes to life in city amid funding call ARCHITECTS have put on display a scale model of a proposed “icon” tourist attraction for Geelong’s waterfront. JOH Architects’ Sea Dragon wind turbine sculpture won $10,000 from Senia Lawyers in 2012’s Icon for Geelong competition, promoted in the Independent. The architecture firm said its design drew inspiration from Geelong’s historic links to farming and industry while also incorporating an environ-
mentally-sustainable vision for the city. The design features seven masts holding aloft wind turbines that drive a corkscrew-like structure that creates a wave-effect at water level. The 75m structure would sit on a floating pontoon connected to an existing breakwater, leaving waterfront land unaffected. Senia Lawyers is displaying the Sea Dragon model by appointment in
the firm’s office, at 94 Gheringhap St, Geelong. The firm’s Andrew Senia, who initiated the Icon for Geelong competition, said Sea Dragon could be a “unique” tourist attraction to help boost the city’s economy. The design and icon competition came at no cost to the three levels of government, which should now back construction of Sea Dragon, Mr Senia said.
He believed the return on investment would be “thousands” of visitors to the region annually and inspiration for residents in “a difficult period of Geelong’s history”. Mr Senia thanked Deakin University’s Professor Hisham Elkadi and the Independent for helping the icon project. “Sea Dragon is a fine example of what can be achieved by private individuals for the benefit of their community,” he said.
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ICONIC: JOH Architect’s Christian O’Halloran and Andrew Senia with the working model of Sea Dragon in Mr Senia’s Geelong office. 113971