As the end of the year approaches, most workers will enjoy a break and then set goals for next year.

This year the Victorian Chamber released a careers campaign addressing a lack of adequate career services for students, graduates and workers in Australia.

I have spent the morning representing the Chamber at the State Parliamentary Inquiry into WorkCover to ensure the views of business are heard.

Our final major event of the year - our inspirational Women in Business lunch, featuring a captivating conversation between our brilliant MC, Alicia Loxley, and our distinguished guest, the Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO - has been the highlight of my week.

I wanted to ensure you are kept across the WorkCover Bill amendments. We have been working with both the Government and Opposition to ensure they understand a premium increase beyond CPI is not acceptable. We also continue to state that we support necessary changes to make the scheme sustainable. We all need it.

The Federal Government yesterday announced that more than half a billion dollars’ worth of measures will be dedicated to Australia’s landmark cyber security strategy until 2030, which includes $290.8 million to uplift small and medium businesses, $143 billion to defend critical infrastructure and $129.7 million to build regional cooperation and resilience.

The 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy is a roadmap aiming to make Australia a world leader in cyber security by 2030.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has elected Mark Birrell AM as President.

We have been closely engaged with Spring Street this week as the Parliament considers new legislation to overhaul Victoria’s archaic WorkCover scheme. The Victorian Chamber continues to advocate strongly for a fair and sustainable scheme that remains accessible to workers and affordable for businesses.

The WorkCover scheme is broken and no longer fit for purpose. It needs to change in order to survive.

One of Victoria’s biggest business surveys has revealed the Victorian Chamber is the trusted voice of business at a time of significant challenges and opportunities for business in Victoria.

The Victorian Chamber’s annual Business Pulse survey reinforced that the Chamber is the trusted voice of business in Victoria and reinforced that our members and stakeholders believe our role is highly relevant to business productivity and the Victorian community.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s announcement of a rates increase cast a gloomy shadow over Tuesday's Melbourne Cup celebrations. The decision will impact both businesses and households, exerting additional pressure on those already struggling to make ends meet. The Chamber is cognisant of this strain and we remain committed to supporting and advocating for measures to alleviate the burden on our members.

The Victorian Chamber is always looking forward and we know workforces are integral to our economic success, which is why we were proud to release our career services policy paper, Boosting Business with Career Services.

Following feedback that a current lack of adequate career services is having a negative impact on the labour market, the Victorian Chamber has devised 29 recommendations to improve the future of careers services nationally.

Following extensive consultation with members and stakeholders, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released its Careers Services Policy Paper, entitled “Boosting Business with Career Services”. It puts forward 29 recommendations that would improve the future of careers services, both in Victoria and Australia-wide.