“Significant opportunities are available for Victoria to prosper through the strength and diversity of its regions. However, success will depend on the quality of services provided by governments and their agencies,” said Chief Executive Mark Stone.

Victorian Chamber’s Victoria Summit 2015 policy paper, Regional Victoria Means Business, contains a number of recommendations to support regional service delivery including:

• Increase levels of cooperation and integration between regional service delivery bodies and those parts of government responsible for policy development
• Strengthen Victorian Government Business Offices and Regional Development Victoria regional office resources and provide them with greater autonomy to lead and coordinate local regional development activities
• Re-establish the Community Cabinet process and commit to holding up to six meetings per year in regional Victoria
• Ensure a number of key Regional Victoria Living Expo activities are held in regional locations to showcase the many opportunities in Victoria's regions
• Establish a Regional Competitiveness Report that integrates the economic, business and livability aspects of different regions into a single competitiveness index
• Ensure that the Local Government Rates Capping and Variation Framework does not unfairly impact local councils’ viability

Other priority areas addressed at the Victorian Chamber Victoria Summit 2015 include:

• Supporting regional small business
• Investing in strategic regional infrastructure and leveraging regional business capabilities
• Supporting regional leadership and deepening global business connections
• Strengthening regional skills, education and training
• Accelerating regional land-use and new business investment opportunities
• Growing regional Victoria through tourism and events  

Priority projects by region have also been identified.

The Victoria Summit recommendations will form the basis of Victorian Chamber’s regional business agenda into 2016 and beyond, including for Victorian Chamber’s 2016-17 state budget submission and the next federal election.

“We cannot expect Victoria’s economic performance to be strong without vibrant, outward looking and competitive regional business,” said Mr Stone