Fagg hopes Canberra will match state funding promises - Geelong Advertiser

Geelong Mayor Keith Fagg.

KEITH Fagg will use his first visit to Canberra as Geelong Mayor to push for federal money for a Geelong industry fund, and to promote his plan for the establishment of an Enterprise Geelong body.

Meetings are planned today and tomorrow with senior figures from all sides of politics, with the visit coinciding with the annual Fed Cats dinner at Parliament House tonight.

The State Government announced on Friday it would add an extra $2 million to the $4 million it has already set aside for a Greater Geelong Industry Fund if the Federal Government matched the contribution.

The Geelong delegation will meet Government figures including Trade Minister Craig Emerson, Cabinet Secretary Mark Dreyfus and Industry Minister Greg Combet.

"We will be talking to as many people as we can and reminding them of that offer from the State Government," Cr Fagg said.

The first Geelong Investment and Innovation Fund used $24 million in joint funding from state and federal

governments and Ford Australia to create an estimated 1000 local jobs.

"The first GIIF fund was fantastic and, as the local member, I'll be doing everything I can to provide advocacy for these ideas," Corio MP Richard Marles said.

Meetings are also planned with Defence Minister Stephen Smith and others over Avalon Airport's future and opportunities in the expanding Asian markets.

"The biggest social phenomenon we will see in the world over the next decade is the rise in the Asian middle class," Mr Marles said. "There's a whole lot of opportunities that Avalon has in terms of supplying fresh produce into China and other parts of Asia."

In its fifth year, the Fed Cats dinner has become a fixture on the parliamentary calendar.

Geelong Cats president Colin Carter and chief executive Brian Cook will join coach Chris Scott, captain Joel Selwood and representatives from Geelong Council, G21, the Committee for Geelong and the Geelong Chamber of Commerce at the event.

"There's no other region in the country which presents itself to Canberra in this way and the strategy has clearly worked," Mr Marles said.

"The visits are ... about forging and strengthening relationships and building the case for Geelong."