Winter has certainly made a dramatic entrance, and with rain, icy winds and even snow falling in some areas across Victoria, cases of cold and flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses are continuing to increase which is presenting many challenges for businesses. The State Government’s decision to provide free flu vaccinations to all Victorians aged over six months during June is a timely one.

The return to the office in the CBD continues to be a big talking point. We know it's not limited to just Melbourne, as virtually every CBD across the globe is dealing with the challenges of attracting office workers back. 

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is looking for your input on the future of Victoria’s manufacturing sector.

As the recent Federal Election demonstrated, climate is a major focus for many Australians as well as business. Next Tuesday June 21 the Victorian Chamber will present our Why Sustainability is Good for Business breakfast at Crown. It comes as the Centre for Economics and Business Research released its ARCADIS Sustainability Cities Index today and Melbourne’s ranking dropped to #60 from its previous ranking at 56.

The end of the financial year is upon us as are the school holidays. It’s great to see so many people travelling again, particularly to our regional areas, and supporting local businesses.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes the State Government’s recommendation for businesses to implement their own mask and working from home arrangements as we deal with the current rise in COVID-19 cases and other illnesses.

The finalists for the 2022 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards have been announced and include several members of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Melbourne Chamber of Commerce.

The chronic nationwide worker shortage is the biggest obstacle to Australia’s economic recovery. In a globally competitive environment, we need to make sure Australia is renowned as a great place to work, build a career and base your business.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry member Planet Innovation has won two awards at the 2022 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards in Melbourne.

Welcome to the first edition of our new Business First format! I hope you enjoy the content, which we have tailored to your selected interests and preferences. As always, we’d love your feedback.

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

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.

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!

The Victorian Chamber congratulates Melbourne Chamber of Commerce member Monash University on finalising a 10-year vaccine production partnership with Moderna and the Australian and Victorian Governments.

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.

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.