Belle Lim was an international student in Victoria and had just graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences when, looking to the future, she found it hard to form industry connections and seek role models to relate to. From this, Future Female was born.

Amid the recent return-to-office announcement, there is no better time to foster a resilient workplace through the Victorian Chamber’s extensive catalogue of training courses, that are now returning to an in-person format.

Great news this week with several positive developments to set us on a cracking pace for our state’s COVID-19 recovery.

The State Government is encouraging Victorians to experience the state’s renowned hospitality, tourism and creative industries with more than $100 million in rebates and vouchers, while businesses are also in line for $100 million in stimulus programs.

The Victorian Chamber was honoured to host former United Kingdom Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, with members and special guests at an exclusive luncheon at the Palladium at Crown.

It’s the report that you helped us create, and one that might well sharpen the focus on what Victoria needs to do to be the best state to operate a business in. I’m very proud of to release the Cost and Ease of Doing Business in Victoria Taskforce Report.

Did you know that starting a business in Victoria requires operators to navigate more permits and licences than any other state? The time it takes to jump through these regulatory hoops is just one of the costs of doing business in Victoria. The Chamber has listened to our members’ concerns about how these barriers are impacting them and has responded with this comprehensive report that provides the first benchmarking exercise of its kind in Australia.

If you were lucky enough to get in a break over the school holidays, you would have noticed the crippling effect that Covid-19 is having on our small businesses across the state.

In partnership with Crown Melbourne, the Victorian Chamber is running free online seminars designed to help regional businesses bounce back after consecutive lockdowns and sparse tourism.

Welcome to our first edition of Victorian Chamber News for 2022. We know that staff shortages, supply chain issues, isolation requirements, density limits and lack of accessibility to Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) continue to cause difficulty and stress and the Victorian Chamber team is working hard to ensure your voices are heard and practical solutions can be found.

In efforts to address current workforce shortages due to COVID-19 and aid Australia’s economic recovery, the Australian Government has amended visa conditions for student and working holiday makers.