By XAVIER SMERDON
WESTERN suburbs employment and infrastructure advocates are lamenting the State Government’s decision to overlook Wyndham for an opportunity that would have created 400 white collar jobs.
The Napthine Government announced last week that it would be moving the headquarters of VicRoads to Ballarat in a move that would generate more than $40 million a year for the region.
Premier Denis Napthine said Ballarat had been chosen because of its “easy access to and from Melbourne’s CBD”.
“Ballarat is a great place to live and work and will offer employees a fantastic regional lifestyle. Relocating VicRoads headquarters to the Civic Hall site will activate this vital part of the city – boosting the economy and creating further local jobs,” Dr Napthine said.
But CEO of LeadWest, a group that advocates for the interests of Melbourne’s West, Craig Rowley, told Star the government had missed an opportunity by not moving VicRoads to the East Werribee Employment Precinct.
“This is something that has been put to the State Government time and time again. We need to attract private investment and the best way to accelerate that is with public investment first,” Mr Rowley said.
“There are so many reasons East Werribee would have been the perfect choice for VicRoads. When you look at where most of the major road building of the future needs to happen, it’s in Melbourne’s West, so it would have been close to where all the major projects will be.
“Also, the next generation of workers for VicRoads will need to be able to buy their first homes in an affordable area, such as Wyndham.”
Mr Rowley said more needed to be done to highlight the fact that low job density was holding the West back.
But Wyndham Mayor Bob Fairclough said the council had not applied for VicRoads to be moved to Wyndham.
“While there were no specific conversation regarding the relocation of VicRoads, Wyndham City is continuing discussions with the State Government and a number of state agencies, about the development of the East Werribee Employment precinct,” Cr Fairclough said.
“Wyndham City is committed to attracting new investment into the municipality, including options for the East Werribee Employment precinct, and is currently working in a partnership with the Metropolitan Planning Authority to form a group that will develop a specific economic strategy for the site.”
