You were in good hands with Chanelle Pearson and Scott Veenker while I was away. It shows our depth of leadership and I want to thank them both for their outstanding support and dedication in ensuring the seamless operation of our Chamber during my absence.

The Victorian Chamber is putting the final touches on our State and Federal budget submissions which we look forward to sharing with you in coming weeks. Thank you to all of you who contributed - either through surveys, roundtables or one-on-one discussions. Your input allows the Chamber to comprehensively and accurately present the priorities of the Victorian business community to Governments and Oppositions.

I’m looking forward to participating in this year’s 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, which is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 4 – 6, hosted by the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia. This year will mark 50 years since Australia became ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner and will only be the second time that our country hosts leaders of ASEAN Member States.

I am also honoured to be giving the opening remarks at the Australia-Cambodia Business Forum at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne on 5 March and hope to see many of you there.

Hot off the press is the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report, which measures societal trust dynamics across 28 nations, including Australia. Once again, business emerges as the only trusted institution, surpassing non-government organisations, media and government. The confidence in business underscores our collective responsibility to uphold integrity and transparency in all that we do.

Furthermore, the report highlights the pivotal role of business in driving innovation and navigating societal change. With the majority of Australian respondents expressing scepticism about government competence in regulating emerging innovations, the onus falls on us, as business leaders, to ensure the responsible and inclusive deployment of new technologies for the benefit of society.

I would like to congratulate my friend and News Corp Managing Director for publishing, Peter Zavecz, on a brilliant and incredible 50-year career in the media, following his announcement to retire in June. Congratulations Peter – your dedication and contributions over the years have been invaluable and your retirement is well deserved! We have loved working with you, particularly on Future Victoria campaigns and events.

Finally, to Craig Tiley and the team at Tennis Australia - congratulations on a brilliant Australian Open. Without question, you have raised the bar again. It’s an incredible effort, and I know the team at MOPT and Delaware North were significant contributors to the success as well. Didn’t our state and city just shine on the global stage.... and yes, I was pretty happy when Italian Jannick Sinner got home in a late one!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend – and enjoys having the kids back in school!