No doubt you may have felt the week's events as we did at the Chamber. We checked in with our team and I encourage employers to do the same.

The Victorian Chamber is engaging regional Victoria to speak with local businesses to inform a regional policy that focuses on increasing competitive advantage and investment.

The Victorian Chamber has launched a Cyber Degree Apprenticeships Thought Leadership Report that outlines the need for better integration between the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and higher education systems to provide aspiring cyber professionals with real-world experience during their studies.

The Victorian Chamber is seeking input from employers or would-be employers of apprentices to help in our advocacy to improve Australia’s vocational system. 

A Victorian Chamber survey has highlighted the challenges of the state’s transition to net-zero, including the move away from natural gas to other energy sources.

I’m pumped after leaving the track this morning following our annual Grand Prix breakfast. It was great to see so many of you there celebrating this exhilarating event.

Stamp duty on commercial and industrial property will be phased out in 2024 after the Victorian Government finalised the transition towards a property tax system.

Recent power outages have highlighted the need for a plan that outlines not only Victoria’s journey to net zero emissions, but also ensures energy supply during the transition, a special Victorian Chamber event has heard.

The Victorian Chamber’s advocacy for a plan on how our state will transition to net zero has been further supported with a survey of our members which revealed that 86 per cent of businesses believe the move to renewables will impact the quality of their output.

Following months of strong advocacy on behalf of Victoria’s business community, I’m pleased to see WorkCover premiums will be frozen, with no increase on premiums for 12 months, after the State Parliament passed the WorkCover Scheme Modernisation Bill 2023.

Businesses will be relieved to know their WorkCover premiums will be frozen for the 2024-25 financial year, with the Victorian Parliament passing the changes in the early hours of yesterday (Wednesday).

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), or Sustainable Business, is fast becoming a major consideration for businesses across the world and the Victorian Chamber is committed to being an enabler in this space by supporting our members on their sustainability journey.

It’s been another hot week, with bushfires raging and many parts of Victoria on high alert due to severe weather.

It was great to get back to Regional Victoria this week as some of the Victorian Chamber Team and I spent a couple of jam-packed days in Geelong.

With the state budget still months away, earnest discussions are occurring now to influence what will be handed down.

It’s not panning out to be the week we had hoped for. On one of the busiest days for many of our members, the lights went out.