Thursday 18 September 2014
VOL 12. No 38
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Armstrong Creek Times INSIDE TODAY
YOUR COMPLETE REAL ESTATE GUIDE
ROCK RUNNERS
Hundreds turned out in Anglesea on the weekend for the Surf Coast Century and Salomon Trail Running Series. Here Surf Coast Century relay team competitors navigate a rocky part of the course. See page 101. Photo: RAPID ASCENT
Political leaders make their pitch at Torquay event
VOTING SEASON
BY JAMES TAYLOR
THE state election and the leadership of Victoria were top of the agenda at last week’s G21 Stakeholder Forum. About 200 people from across the G21 region attended the conference at the RACV Torquay Resort. With November’s poll less than three months away, the leaders of the state’s three major political parties used the opportunity to make the case for their vision of the Surf Coast’s future. Premier Denis Napthine said tourism was a “great growth industry” for the region, with double-digit growth in tourism and tourism-related employment over the
past three-and-a-half years. Answering a question from Surf Coast Shire councillor Eve Fisher about fracking in the region, Dr Napthine made reference to his rural background. “I can assure you, as long as I’m Premier, as long as I stand here, we will not be doing any onshore gas if it jeopardises in any way, shape or form the environment, the underground aquifers, or our clean, green agriculture.” Opposition leader Daniel Andrews spoke about the challenges facing the region and the need for action. “We will not turn these challenges into opportunities by making the wrong decisions, and I think at the
top of that list is the decision to take money away from TAFE.” Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber said the Geelong area was “not a ‘rust belt’” and should not be talked down but Victoria’s leaders had to be “constantly be on top of things”. “When parties get so focused on their own internal problems that they lose touch with the problems of everyday people, some of these challenges we’ve been talking about start to, over time, turn into full-blown crises.” 774 ABC Melbourne radio presenter Jon Faine shared his observations on the political environment in Victoria and Australia,
including that he had “never seen the two major parties so unpopular at the same time” and the popular desire to have different parties in power at state and federal level. “Most people hate being asked to vote in, as leader, someone who they originally didn’t vote for.” He also questioned some of the forum’s attendees ideas, including City of Greater Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons’ push for the Yarra Street Pier and Mr Andrews’ $70 million pledge for Simonds Stadium. “You don’t get two chances at $70 million in Geelong, you just don’t.” See also: “Top cop praises ice fight support”, page 9.
Premier Denis Napthine speaks at the G21 Stakeholder Forum. Photo: JAMES TAYLOR
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