A NEW lobby group wants the business community to come together to call for more federal and state investment in major infrastructure projects across the Frankston region.
The Committee for Greater Frankston describes itself as “a visionary think tank that will advocate to all levels of government for a better deal for the Greater Frankston region”.
Three business breakfast events by the group in Carrum Downs, Langwarrin and Seaford and membership fees from businesses who have joined the committee have contributed a total of $125,000 so the committee could officially launch this month.
The advocacy group will initially focus on the Carrum Downs, Seaford, Langwarrin, Somerville, Mt Eliza and Frankston centre areas.
The Committee for Greater Frankston identified those suburbs, including Somerville and Mt Eliza in Mornington Peninsula Shire, as having industrial areas and many businesses.
Spokeswoman Christine Richards, a former Frankston councillor and mayor, said the group will not be affiliated with any political party and will focus on “the big picture” and make business case submissions to the state and federal government for funding when feedback is being sought about major infrastructure projects.
Ms Richards, Ritchies stores founder Fred Harrison, former Frankston Rotary president Grahame Gordon, Carrum Downs businessman Peter Patterson, former Frankston High School principal Ken Rowe and former Manningham, Knox and Sherbrooke Shire councils CEO Bob Seiffert are the inaugural members of the committee’s board.
“It is about growing jobs, improving education opportunities, growing the economy and strengthening investment into the region,” Ms Richards said.
“This area has been passed over so many times and all the seats at federal and state level are now marginal.”
She said the group will take a long-term view on the future of Frankston and will not be constrained by short-termism around four-year election cycles.
Ms Richards said councils, by their very nature, mostly also look at short-term fixes rather than long-term projects.
“Council looks after everything from blocked drains to recycling and rubbish and smaller but important issues that council has to deal with day to day,” she said.
She said businesses have welcomed the formation of the committee.
“Business really understand that the strength of Frankston will be for the benefit of everyone in Frankston in terms of jobs and investment.”
The former mayor said she maintains “very good and enduring relationships” with the councillors she served with who are still on council but decided to work “outside council” to devote time to the new business lobby group.
Ginevra Hosking, the granddaughter of Frankston’s first mayor Perc Hosking, who established Hoskings Jewellers in Young St, will be the first CEO of the Committee of Greater Frankston.
Ms Hosking has science and commerce degrees and is part of the corporate team that manages Hoskings’ nationwide operations. She is a former senior manager at ANZ Bank.
The committee officially launched its operations at Frankston RSL this month at a luncheon attended by guest speaker Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas.
The group plans to advocate initially for an airport in Melbourne’s south east, the electrification of the Frankston line to Baxter and the release of land for industrial estates expansion in Carrum Downs and Somerville.
