I’ve spent a large part of the last week engaging with various stakeholders including Victorian Government Ministers and our members about the rising costs involved with running a business, escalating electricity and gas prices, and what the road to net zero looks like.

Well, it seems we are going to have to get used to interest rates continuing to rise if this weeks commentary is anything to go by. I’m sure you all felt the impact of the latest interest rate rise in some way. It’s another cost increase that will hit most businesses either directly or indirectly via the potential decline in consumer spending.

The Victorian Chamber has released a roadmap aimed at helping reduce energy prices, ensure the reliability of energy supply, capitalise on investment opportunities and support businesses in the transition to a net-zero economy.

The CEO of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games Jeroen Weimar says the event will present significant opportunities for Victorian businesses, particularly those in the regions.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has become something of a buzz term in business. But what does it really mean and why is it good for business?

It’s great to be back after a break enjoying Regional Victoria and thank you to Chanelle, Scott and the team for doing such a fantastic job while I was away. It has already been a big week as school holidays finish and students head back to the classroom. No doubt there’s been a few tears shed by parents of those children starting school and even some tears of joy for parents of those returning!

As Acting Chief Executive, it’s exciting to see so many people getting out and about across Victoria as the summer weather provides the perfect conditions for lapping up what we love about this great state. Many Victorians are returning to work while others are taking an extended break at our tourist hot spots, enjoying the Australian Open, the Lunar New Year and a myriad of other events.

Listen to this special episode of the Business Voice podcast as Jessica Sepel explains how she built her business empire and get 20 per cent off JS Health’s range of products statewide.

Your business could benefit from the many grants and assistance programs available to help local exporters grow and sell their products globally.

Start the new year by taking advantage of a range of government grants, funding, incentives and support services to boost your business.

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year’s with your families and friends and that at least some of you got to enjoy a break. We know this is a busy time for many businesses and we are grateful for your ongoing hard work during the holiday period.

What a year! As this is my last message for 2022, it seems only fitting to end the year on a positive note, with news that office occupancy in Melbourne’s CBD is climbing as Victoria continues its recovery.

Entrepreneur and founder of JSHealth, Jessica Sepel, has told the Victorian Chamber’s annual women in business luncheon how she built her wellness empire.

Well, we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted for business with Federal Parliament passing the Industrial Relations Reforms Bill last week. So, we will now be ensuring we support you and your business to understand the impact of the changes and how you can navigate them.

One of the great things about Australia is that we live in a democracy. We all had the chance to vote on the weekend and we congratulate Premier Daniel Andrews and the Labor Party on what was a decisive win in the Victorian Election.

The Victorian Chamber’s new Business Voice survey has revealed high wage expectations and skills shortages are the biggest barriers to filling vacant positions for businesses seeking to hire staff.