The federal government's workplace insurer Comcare could be relocated to Victoria's second biggest city as part of public service decentralisation plan being pushed in Canberra this week.
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The City of Greater Geelong is leading a consortium of local groups pitching the bid as the Coalition pursues forced moves of non-policy related public service jobs from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne to regional centres.
About 450 of Comcare's 670 staff work in the national capital, with 145 already located in Melbourne and fewer than 20 staff in each of Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Advocates say moving Comcare from Canberra would help Geelong cement its emerging status as a social insurance hub, adding to public servants employed by the National Disability Insurance Agency, WorkSafe and Victoria's Traffic Accident Commission.
Lobbying of the federal government is expected to centre on the benefits of co-location of similar organisations, Geelong's status as a non-metropolitan city within commuter distance of Melbourne, local property and lifestyle benefits, potential redevelopment sites and a skilled workforce.
Coalition backbench MP Sarah Henderson is likely to back the plan as an opportunity to lift her reelection odds in the marginal seat of Corangamite, which takes in part of Greater Geelong and the nearby communities of Torquay, Anglesea, Ocean Grove and Lorne.
Opposition defence spokesman and neighbouring Corio MP Richard Marles has advocated for the move.
The Committee for Geelong, Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Deakin University and Barwon Health are among advocates of the bid.
Greater Geelong's population of 238,000 is expected to grow by 80,000 people within 20 years. The city's median house price is $452,000, well below Canberra's median of $705,000.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the closure of Victoria's automotive industry requires "all levels of government to play their part".
"We call on the Commonwealth government to relocate Comcare to Geelong to help ensure a bright future for this great city," he said.
City of Greater Geelong chief executive Kelvin Spiller the city had "a proven capacity" to host federal government departments and agencies.
"Given we've seen the very successful transition of the TAC and more recently WorkSafe, we believe the addition of Comcare will only further enhance Geelong's reputation as a centre of excellence in social insurance."
"The opportunities for both Geelong and Comcare are both multiple and plentiful and that is certainly the case we will be taking to Canberra. We're very hopeful of a positive response."
Mr Spiller will be among local advocates lobbying Coalition and Labor MPs on the plan on Wednesday.
"We know what we have to offer in Geelong and we are convinced this is a bid that could add significant value for both Comcare and the Geelong community, so we look forward to the opportunity to discuss it further," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Regional Development Minister Fiona Nash are leading the forced relocations agenda, despite both facing the prospect of expulsion from Parliament over dual citizenship.
Mr Joyce has faced allegations of political pork barrelling over his move of the pesticides authority to his own electorate of New England, prompting a slew of resignations and a significant drop in productivity.
He told a National Party conference in Canberra on Saturday the number of job applications for the new Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority office in Armidale easily outstripped the number of positions available.
Business cases for government-wide decentralisation moves are expected by the end of 2017.
