Regional Resilience and an Interventionist State: The Case of Geelong, Victoria, 1990–2020

Abstract

Geelong’s economic resilience has been evident for decades as it transitioned from a manufacturing to a service centre. This transformation largely unfolded during Australian governments’ embrace of neo-liberal policies which are usually associated with the State’s withdrawal from active economic intervention. A close examination of the Geelong experience, however, shows the State as a key actor, intervening through direct employment, targeted industry support, economic restructuring and decentralisation policies. Our analysis suggests a need to recentre the role of the interventionist State in conceptualisations of economic and social resilience while adding a nuanced regional dimension understandings of neo-liberalism in Australia.