Editing Geelong (section)

==Economy==
[[File:ABS-6291.0.55.001-LabourForceAustraliaDetailed ElectronicDelivery-LabourForceStatusByLabourMarketRegionSex-Geelong-UnemploymentRate-Persons-A84599671C.svg|thumb|right|300px|Unemployment rate in the Geelong labour market region since 1998<ref>{{cite web|title=Geelong; Unemployment rate; Persons; series A84599671C|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6291.0.55.001|work=6291.0.55.001 Labour Force, Australia, Detailed - Electronic Delivery|date=23 February 2023 |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>]]
More than 10,000 businesses employ over 80,000 people in the Geelong region,<ref name="cogg-top10" /> with manufacturing and processing industries providing around 15,000 jobs, followed by 13,000 in retail, and 8,000 in health and community services.<ref name="cogg-top10" />

In 2020, the Committee for Geelong published a research paper [https://www.committeeforgeelong.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Johnson-et-al.-Resilient-Geelong-Research-Paper.pdf Resilient Geelong] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306085738/https://www.committeeforgeelong.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Johnson-et-al.-Resilient-Geelong-Research-Paper.pdf |date=6 March 2023 }} which tracks the Geelong economy over several decades. Written [[Deakin University]]'s [https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/people/louise-johnson Prof Louise Johnson], Resilient Geelong makes a series of recommendations for the future of Geelong.

Geelong's major employers were the [[Ford Australia|Ford Motor Company]] engine plant in [[Norlane]] (closed in 2016), aircraft maintenance at [[Avalon Airport]], the head office of retail chain [[Target Australia]] (until 2018), the Bartter (Steggles) chicken processing plant and the [[Shell Australia|Shell]] oil refinery at Corio.<ref name = "fastfacts"/> [[GMHBA Limited]], a health insurance company, is headquartered in Geelong.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apra.gov.au/PHI/Pages/GMHBA-Limited.aspx |title=GMHBA Limited |website=apra.gov.au |publisher=APRA |access-date=11 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609210926/http://apra.gov.au/PHI/Pages/GMHBA-Limited.aspx |archive-date=9 June 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

The Geelong region attracted over 6 million tourists during 2001.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.geelongotway.org/admin/downloads/information/51506395215092004102141AM-stat.pdf 
 |title=Geelong Otway Region Domestic Visitation 2001 
 |work=Geelong Otway Tourism website 
 |access-date=2007-12-16 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928025012/http://www.geelongotway.org/admin/downloads/information/51506395215092004102141AM-stat.pdf 
 |archive-date=28 September 2007 
 |url-status=dead 
 |df=dmy 
}}</ref> Major tourist attractions include the [[Waterfront Geelong]] precinct and [[Eastern Beach, Victoria|Eastern Beach]] on the shores of Corio Bay, and the National Wool Museum in the city, and more than 30 historical buildings listed on the [[Victorian Heritage Register]].<ref name=monash>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer/list/geelong.html
 |title       = Geelong
 |work        = Monash University place names gazette (link broken)
 |access-date  = 2007-12-16
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060825233821/http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer/list/geelong.html
 |archive-date = 25 August 2006
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The Geelong area hosts regular international events which are also tourist drawcards, including the [[Australian International Airshow]].

[[File:Market Square Shopping Centre Geelong.jpg|thumb|Market Square Shopping Centre]]
Geelong has a number of shopping precincts in the CBD and surrounding suburbs. The two main shopping centres are located in the CBD - [[Westfield Geelong]] and [[Market Square Shopping Centre (Geelong)|Market Square]], with smaller centres in the suburbs including Belmont Village and [[Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre]] in the south, Bellarine Village in [[Newcomb, Victoria|Newcomb]] in the east, and Corio Shopping Centre in the north.<ref name="cogg-top10" /> The opening of the major shopping centres has caused a decline in strip shopping on Moorabool Street, with many empty shops and few customers.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Sophie|last=Smith |title=While Moorabool St remains cold and empty |work=Geelong News |page=3 |date=2 July 2008 }}</ref> Geelong is also home to [[Mitre 10]]'s largest franchisee – Fagg's – operating five stores across the town and employing over 160 people.

These major research laboratories are located in the Geelong area: the [[CSIRO]] Australian Animal Health Laboratory in East Geelong,<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian Animal Health Laboratory |url=http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/National-Facilities/Australian-Animal-Health-Laboratory.aspx |work=CSIRO |access-date=26 May 2013 |date=May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603042126/http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/National-Facilities/Australian-Animal-Health-Laboratory.aspx |archive-date=3 June 2013}}</ref> CSIRO Division of Textiles and Fibres Technology in Belmont,<ref>{{cite web|title=Geelong: Belmont, Vic (CSIRO Materials Science & Engineering) |url=http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/Divisions/CMSE/Belmont.aspx |work=CSIRO |access-date=26 May 2013 |date=May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511012743/http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation-Structure/Divisions/CMSE/Belmont.aspx |archive-date=11 May 2013}}</ref> and the Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute at Queenscliff.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute (MAFRI) (1996 - )|url=http://www.eoas.info/biogs/A001130b.htm|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Australian Science|access-date=26 May 2013|year=2010}}</ref>

The scheduled closure of [[Ford Australia|Ford's]] Australian manufacturing base in 2016 was confirmed in late May 2013. Headquartered in the Victorian suburb of [[Broadmeadows, Victoria|Broadmeadows]], the company had registered losses of AU$600 million over the five years prior to the announcement. It was noted that the corporate fleet and government sales that accounted for two-thirds of large, local car sales in Australia were insufficient to keep Ford's products profitable and viable in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ford's exit spells the end of the road for manufacturing|url=http://theconversation.com/fords-exit-spells-the-end-of-the-road-for-manufacturing-14594|work=The Conversation Australia|publisher=The Conversation Media Group|access-date=26 May 2013|first=Remy|last=Davison|date=24 May 2013}}</ref>

Following the decision by [[Shell Australia|Shell]] to close its Geelong refinery in April 2013, a third consecutive annual loss was recorded for Shell's Australian refining and fuel marketing assets. Revealed in June 2013, the writedown is worth AU$203 million, and was preceded by a $638-million writedown in 2012 and a $407-million writedown in 2011 after the closure of the [[Clyde Refinery]] in [[Sydney]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Geelong refinery writedown hits Shell for $203m|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/geelong-refinery-writedown-hits-shell-for-203m/story-fn91v9q3-1226656526907?net_sub_uid=44933799|access-date=6 June 2013|newspaper=The Australian|date=4 June 2013|author=Matt Chambers}}</ref>

In April 2016 Target announced that it would be moving its headquarters out of [[North Geelong]] to [[Williams Landing]] in Melbourne's west.<ref name="news-target-gone">{{cite news|title=Up to 180 jobs to be slashed as Target announces shut down of Geelong headquarters|url=http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/04/14/15/50/target-to-axe-180-jobs-as-they-shut-down-geelong-headquarters|access-date=14 April 2016|work=9news.com|date=14 April 2016}}</ref>