The following measures align with the Victorian Chamber’s Federal Budget submission:

• More than $1.6 billion for energy saving upgrades for homes, businesses and social housing, including $314 million for the Small Business Energy Incentive, to provide businesses with annual turnover of less than $50 million, an additional 20 per cent deduction on spending that supports electrification and more efficient use of energy.
• $1.5 billion for the Energy Price Relief Plan for eligible households and small businesses.
• Instant tax write-offs for assets valued up to $20,000 each for businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million a year.
• $3.7 billion investment in a new five-year National Skills Agreement that will provide an extra 300,000 fee-free TAFE and vocational educational training places.
• $392.4 million Industry Growth Program to support small-to-medium-sized enterprises and startups to commercialise their ideas and grow their operations.
• $101.6 million over five years to support and uplift cyber security.
• Measures to improve female participation in the workforce including making child-care more accessible.
• Improved tax conditions to facilitate build-to-rent developments which will help alleviate accommodation shortages and improve labour mobility.
• $4.1 billion for Long-Range Missile Systems and a sovereign manufacturing capability to produce them in Australia. Victoria is home to a thriving defence industry.
• $431.9 million over four years to improve support for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups.
• $210 million over four years to expand the Emerging Markets Impact Investment Fund (EMIIF) from $40 million to $250 million. 

To be attributed to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra:

“The Federal surplus is a good news story and business has been a major contributor to the positive bottom line by creating and supporting employment which has added significant tax revenue.

“The allocations for business are modest, but the Chamber is pleased to see funding towards energy cost relief, renewable energy transition, business asset write-offs, cyber security, innovation, the defence sector and increasing female workforce participation.

“As the largest connector of apprentices and trainees to employers in the country, the Victorian Chamber looks forward to being part of the plan to extend the National Skills Agreement.

“The Chamber hopes the 90-day freeze on infrastructure projects won't impact committed projects such as Melbourne Airport Rail, Suburban Rail Loop and Geelong Fast Rail.”