Lockdown Four, and the COVID-19 situations around the country in Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia, have shown us that the pandemic is far from over.  

The Federal Government has announced an expansion of Australia’s Priority Migration Skilled Occupations List (PMSOL) following a collective advocacy campaign from the business community.

The business community in Regional Victoria will be relieved today to hear the news of a further easing of restrictions. There is also good news that essentially every business in the state can now operate. But for some larger metropolitan events, hospitality and entertainment venues, the easing of restrictions have not gone far enough, and we still have a difference in settings between Regional and Metropolitan areas.

Today’s announcement that restrictions will further ease from 11.59 tomorrow, Thursday 17 June, is welcome news that will enable every Victorian business to operate, but the restrictions on Metropolitan Victoria are still too conservative.

The Victorian Chamber welcomes today’s news that most Victorian businesses can operate from 11.59pm tomorrow, 10 June, but will continue to advocate for a snapback to pre-lockdown restrictions. Metropolitan Melbourne will go to Regional Victoria’s current settings while Regional Victoria’s restrictions will be eased even further.

The State Government has today announced Metropolitan Victoria’s lockdown will end from 11.59pm Thursday 10 June with a further easing of restrictions in Regional Victoria.

A Victorian Chamber member survey has revealed that the majority of respondents think that the third round of the Victorian Government’s Business Support Fund package is inadequate.

Many proactive Victorian businesses are contacting the Victorian Chamber’s Health, Safety, Wellbeing team for help building mentally healthy workplaces. One questionably inevitably arises.

I know this is a tough time for many of you who will feel shattered by the extension of the fourth lockdown Victoria has endured since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

It is the Victorian Chamber’s goal to make Victoria the best place in Australia to live, work, learn, and operate a business. Our message is simple - business is not only the engine room of the economy, they’re also the heart of our communities.

The Victorian Chamber has today voiced its concerns over reports that the State Government will increase stamp duty and land tax next year.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg MP has unveiled a ‘Bounce Back’ Budget which aims to boost Australia’s economy by creating jobs, improving skills and investing in the digital economy.

The countdown is on to our Victoria Summit Vision Day! Today we officially launched our first major Summit event coming up on 28 May where attendees will come together to map out a bold new vision for Victoria.

While workers may argue there is ample evidence to support continued remote working arrangements, government health directions are no longer recommending working from home where ‘reasonably practicable,’ subject to density limits.

On behalf of our members, the Victorian Chamber has made a submission to the Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and events sector.

It was encouraging to see the Federal Government revive the National Cabinet this week to address the issues with the vaccine rollout, bringing the states and territories together to find the best path forward.