I hope this update finds you all in good spirits despite the icy winds pushing through the state! It is a privilege to be filling in for Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra. Our CEO is currently with a small contingent in Geneva for the 2023 World Chambers Congress, as Melbourne prepares to host the WCC in 2025.

Congratulations to all the amazing Australians who have been celebrated as part of the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List. Not just the famous faces, but also the quiet achievers of Victoria, who dedicate their lives to improving their communities and outcomes for the less fortunate.

It’s been an interesting week, and probably one that will have most business owners and leaders wondering “What next?”

It was great to catch up with the Agent General Victoria to China, Brett Stephens earlier in the week to discuss the investment, sourcing and exporting opportunities for Victorian businesses. I certainly heard the optimism from Brett about what the opening can mean for business in our State, and we will be looking to progress that once Brett returns to China next week.

In 2022, Australians reported losses of more than $80 million to scams initiated on social media alone, up from reported losses of $56 million in 2021 and $27 million in 2020.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas handed down the State Budget on Tuesday afternoon and I’m sure many of you went straight to how it would impact your business, positive or negative.

The .au domain has recently been recognised as one of the most popular and trusted domains globally, despite Australia’s relatively small population.

As business awaits next week’s State Budget, the latest feedback from our members is that regained confidence post-pandemic has waned in the face of tough economic conditions.

We have one hot off the press today! We are incredibly proud to announce that the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been named as one of four finalists in the 13th World Chambers Congress (WCC) 2023 Competition in the Best Gender Equity Project category for our Chamber Change (Women in Business) program.

As we approach the budget season, we are in continuing discussions with the State Government to ensure business remains positioned to provide the growth the State needs. I expect those meetings will continue over the next few weeks as well.

Privacy Awareness Week (1 to 7 May 2023) is a global campaign that highlights the importance of online privacy and protecting all personal information.

Pitcher Partners Business Radar report has shown that business leaders may overestimate their organisation’s preparedness for a cyber-attack or data breach, potentially leading to underestimation of the risks they face.

On Tuesday, we reflected on the sacrifice that generations of Australians and New Zealanders have made to protect our way of life. Hundreds of Anzac Day commemorations took place across the State to honour the Anzac spirit; it felt to me as if that spirit was particularly prominent this year, perhaps it was heightened among Victorians because of the war in Ukraine and global instability.

It certainly feels like the year continues to accelerate, and I hope you are doing what you need to ensure your business is in good shape.

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe long weekend. It was certainly great to have a break, and hopefully some of you can enjoy extra time with your children as we enter school holidays.

We saw Melbourne at its best over the weekend as we played host to a Melbourne-record Formula One crowd of more than 440,000 people at Albert Park.