City of Ballarat delegates supported by Committee for Ballarat chair Janet Dore and executive Melanie Robertson hope the federal government will commit to a stronger, faster rail service, relocation of a federal government department and the building of the aviation air services hub in Ballarat this week. 

Ms Dore said leaders met Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester and other leaders on Tuesday to  discuss the investment needed to “put Ballarat on the map”. 

“You don’t want to come to Canberra begging for money. You come to Canberra to lay out your plans to get on the national agenda,” Ms Dore said.

Ms Dore will lobby for the electrification of the rail service to create an express service from Ballarat to Melbourne resulting in a 45 minute commuting time.

“It’s all about infrastructure for us – you want Ballarat to be a modern city? You’ve got to invest in transport and connectivity,” Ms Dore said. 

“It is not an instant process. It’s an opportunity for funding and the focus is mainly infrastructure.” 

Other projects being pursued include the Ballarat waste to energy project, the sports and event centre, the city deal bid, the Ballarat Link Road and the centre for renewables briefing paper.

Mayor Samantha McIntosh said the trip was a vital step to securing the city as an economic powerhouse. 

“As a key regional centre we have the capacity and the potential to alleviate population pressures in some of the fastest growing municipalities of Melbourne and to act as an accelerator for regional and state-wide growth,” Cr McIntosh said. 

Mr Chester’s spokeswoman said the productive meeting focused on the duplication and electrification of the railway line.

“There’s an obvious need for all levels of government to work together on these types of projects,” the spokeswoman said.Mr Chester has regular and ongoing discussions with state transport minister Jacinta Allen on all matters to do with regional rail service.” 

Funding for the $50 million dollar planned emergency services hub –that Cr McIntosh says would be the centre piece of the Ballarat West Employment Zone – was also discussed and was an “interesting concept”.

Cr McIntosh said state and federal funding remained integral to the success of the project. Mr Chester’s spokeswoman confirmed no commitments were made during the meeting.