Businesses are the heart of Victoria’s communities. When business does well, Victoria does well. And it is business that will power Victoria’s future.

Over the past 12 months we’ve consulted widely with members around Victoria about their priorities as we countdown to the State Election on November 26.

We’ve conducted metropolitan and regional roundtable meetings, focus groups and member surveys. And, of course, we hosted the Victoria Summit which brought together business and community leaders from across Victoria.

At the Victorian Chamber, supporting business across the State is our focus. Through our engagement we know what’s important to business and how business can both turbocharge our recovery and play a leading role in Victoria’s future prosperity.

Powering Victoria’s Future contains 61 recommendations covering four key pillars:

• Strengthening Victoria’s jobs and skills.
• Building Victoria as the best state to operate a business.
• Driving Victoria’s economy.
• Growing Regional Victoria.

You can read more about Powering Victoria’s Future here but its primary recommendations include:

• Developing a standardised microcredential framework to enable the rapid reskilling and upskilling of the workforce
• Committing to drive towards zero youth unemployment by 2026 and implementing a careers strategy in primary and secondary school curriculum
• Increasing the payroll tax threshold from $700,000 to $1.2 million across Victoria to bring it into line with New South Wales and decrease the rate from 1.21 per cent to zero in Regional Victoria
• Allowing businesses seeking to pre-qualify as suppliers to the Victorian Government to fulfil screening requirements via a single form to streamline procurement processes.
• Funding Visit Victoria to develop a detailed 10-year experience economy strategy
• Creating and funding a 10-year Victorian Manufacturing Strategy to boost Victoria’s local manufacturing in existing and emerging industries
• Create a housing development scheme to expand housing supply and planning in Regional Victoria.

I want to thank the Victorian Chamber’s policy team for their hard work and, of course, our members who’ve taken the time to participate in this process and share your important insights so we can help drive positive outcomes for Victorian business.

I would like to pay tribute to the Queen as the world mourns her passing. Her Majesty was an extraordinary woman and leader who made an incredible contribution and leaves a wonderful legacy after touching the lives of millions of Australians during her unprecedented 70-year reign.

I was fortunate to be present at Government House on Tuesday to witness the Proclamation of the Sovereign His Majesty King Charles III. It was a ceremony full of tradition, led by the Governor of Victoria. We, of course, wish our new King success and look forward to welcoming him to Victoria in time.

In business news, we were very proud to enter into an agreement between Jobs Victoria and Youth Activating Youth (YAY) to provide 60 internships for multicultural youth to help kickstart inspire ongoing careers. We will be releasing more details on how you might get involved over the next month or so.

We still have limited tickets left for next week’s Victorian Chamber Pitcher Partners AFL Grand Final lunch at the MCG. This year’s event will have an Indigenous theme and we have three great champions in Gavin Wanganeen, Shane Edwards and Michael O’Loughlin who will be our guest speakers at the lunch.   

School holidays are also about to start, and I hope many families get a chance to take a well-earned break. It’s such a great time of the year with the climax of the AFL Finals, the start of the Royal Melbourne Show, the excitement of Spring Racing Carnival and so many other fantastic events across Victoria.

Have a great weekend and good luck to Geelong and Collingwood, our remaining Victorian teams!