The Herald Sun and the Victorian Chamber hosted Future Victoria to explore what Victoria could look like in 2030, and the vision of the leaders that will help shape it.

Joined by 170 guests at ZINC at Federation Square, Mr Pallas and Mr Guy outlined their visions for the future of the economy, business, health, infrastructure, education, the arts and many other aspects that impact our lives.

Following their keynote addresses, a panel of business leaders including Ciaran Carruthers, Crown Resorts CEO; Penny Fowler, Chairman of Herald & Weekly Times; and Janet Whiting AM, Partner at Gilbert + Tobin also explored their respective views on the future of their organisations and the state.

Tim Pallas’ vision

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According to Mr Pallas, “good governments change lives… and deliver what matters not just for today but the many years ahead”. Fast forwarding to 2030, he envisages:

• People commuting via Melbourne Metro’s five new stations as a part of the city’s fabric, new Velocity trains from the regions, and the Melbourne airport rail line from Tullamarine
• A transformed Melbourne Arts precinct, the “largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia’s history” comprising the new NGV contemporary gallery, revitalised State Theatre and 18,000 square metres of parkland in Melbourne
• Melbourne being a place to do business “differently” as Australia’s tech capital, maximising proximity and collaboration from the Cremorne tech hub, Parkville, Clayton, Fisherman’s Bend and the CBD’s financial services cluster
• Flourishing regions that have “never been better connected through affordable and frequent transport links and high speed mobile and broadband coverage”. The legacy of the 2026 Commonwealth Games will comprise new community facilities in the regions
• Victoria continues to be education state. Newborn Victorians will have access to universal kinder and pre-prep. Over 100 government schools that didn’t exist are now up and running. Victoria is home to world-leading TAFEs and universities delivering the best education to Victorians and overseas students
• Victoria’s health system to lead the world, which includes our mRNA manufacturing ecosystem. Our mental health system will be rebuilt from the ground up. New hospitals in Melton, West Gippsland, Albury Wodonga and Parkville, including the first free public fertility service at the new Royal Women’s Hospital. System to be underpinned by free nursing educational access.
• Victoria to be a clean energy powerhouse, including through a government-owned renewable power company. Emissions will be cut by 50 per cent by 2030, on the way to net zero by 2045.
• Victoria’s economy driving the nation. GSP to continues to grow through the business sector. Women in workforce will be boosted by 50 government-owned childcare centres increasing availability and lowering cost, helping women return to work.

Mr Pallas concludes that the vision is “not just a pipedream” and the foundations have been laid by the current government, which is working with industry and community to deliver these commitments.

Matt Guy’s vision

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After the challenges of the past few years, Mr Guy is “more confident than ever before in our state’s future.”

He says the people of Victoria make the state. “It’s our greatest strength and has always been”. Because of this, Mr Guy plans to drive people back by thinking positively and envisaging a 2030 that comprises:

• Certainty of policy and economic growth
• “Growing all of Victoria” to be a state of cities, and not just a city state, to diversify our economic base. This includes ensuring job growth outside the city and the CBD.
• “Enhancing, preserving and encouraging multiculturalism”. Having Melbourne and other cities as international places will drive an internationalised economy driving tourism, residential, students and jobs
• Clear and strong strategies to grow our population, to see growth as a strength not a weakness, and to see diversified growth as important
• Victoria being a place where business comes to grow. “Not to be taxed out of existence but to know it’s the most competitive place in Australia”. Payroll tax reform would take Victoria from being “the most difficult system to the easiest”
• Getting Victoria’s finances under control through debt caps and ensuring project budgets don’t blow out. Victoria is on track to accrue more debt than NSW, Queensland and Tasmania combined. “It’s easy to put everything on a credit card. We must make sure we get our spending under control for our children’s sake, not just living for the moment”.
• Fixing Victoria’s health system by reprioritising money towards new health infrastructure in Mildura, Wodonga, Warragul, Melton and smaller pieces of infrastructure in St Arnaud, Daylesford and Mansfield: “A plan to build the whole health system across all the state so Victorians have good healthcare”
• Building trust in the government, including by beefing up integrity authorities. “Trust must be rebuilt from the people in charge”
• A $2 flat fare for public transport “to get people onto the biggest tram network in the world and one of the biggest metro rail systems in the world”, supplemented by half price V-Line.
• A “realistic” energy mix that is that is “not a return to the past” that utilises gas, batteries and solar and hydrogen.

“Families and business can get ahead, live and prosper here in the greatest state,” Mr Guy says. While the cost of setting up and living in Victoria is currently prohibitive, he pledges support from his government to make it succeed.