Congratulations to Geelong Football Club on a brilliant season and a brilliant win. It may not have been a game to remember but the AFL Grand Final was a moment to celebrate the return of one of our iconic events to Victoria.

It’s Grand Final week in Victoria and you can feel the electricity in the air! For the first time in three years the Grand Final is back in Melbourne where it belongs and oh, how we’ve missed it.

A recent decision by the Melbourne County Court highlights the importance of employers managing fall-from-height risks within their workplace in line with Victorian laws.

With the State election now coming into view, we are delighted to launch the Victorian Chamber’s 2022 State Election Platform, Powering Victoria’s Future.

Inconsistent application of company safety policies can not only lead to unfair dismissal cases but also breaches of upcoming Victorian psychological health regulations.

Take proactive actions now in response to the Jobs and Skills Summit outcomes and proposed changes to the workplace relations framework. 

There was no better way to kickstart spring than having the State Government lift the work-from-home recommendations and the introduction of shorter isolation requirements for COVID-positive patients and those in low-risk settings.

Well, it’s been quite a week! Today is the start of the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra.

I don’t know about you, but it does seem like there is a lot going on at the moment. I’ve been to a fantastic meeting with members in Mildura, and also managed to get to Canberra and back for a series of meetings with the Australian Chamber in the lead up to the Jobs and Skills Summit.

Eligible casual, contract and self-employed workers now have access to 38 hours of sick and carer’s pay each year.

Greetings from Mildura up on the mighty Murray River where I’m meeting with businesses as part of our series of regional roundtable meetings. It’s been great to get out on the road and engage with members to hear more about the issues impacting business across Victoria.

A Victorian Chamber webinar will examine a recent High Court decision and the implications of not taking proactive steps to reduce risk of psychiatric injury.

It’s been a challenging winter, but the end is finally approaching. The days are getting longer and warmer and the AFL Finals, Spring Racing Carnival, Royal Melbourne Show and school holidays are just around the corner. How good will it be to have them back!

As Bob Dylan famously once sang, “The times they are a-changing”. And so must our work practices to avoid inadvertently creating unsafe workspaces or tasks for our people.  

Pass the baton because we are ready! If you’ve been watching the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as enthusiastically as I have, it’s clear that the 2026 Games in Victoria offer massive opportunities for the State that we love.

This week, the Victorian Chamber hosted our first Chamber Change event to celebrate the commencement of our pilot women in business program.