International Engagement Taskforce

Victorian business has a lot to gain by working on a global scale. International engagement contributes to generating income, investment and jobs across the state.

With international engagement at the core of the State economy, The Victorian Chamber initiated the International Engagement Taskforce to measure how it contributes to generating income, investment and jobs across the state.

By drawing on the experience of our members and key industry leaders, the Taskforce has identified issues, opportunities and ideas that will accelerate Victorian business success in international engagement over the next decade.

Explore our key recommendations below or download the full report.

Key recommendations

Refresh and refocus Victoria's International Engagement Strategy
  • Establish key performance indicators and post-implementation reviews of the success of each specific sector and country strategy.
  • Encourage relevant departments to clearly outline their role and contribution to the development and implementation of each of the country-specific international engagement strategies.
  • Develop more detailed and timely data and information on Victoria's service exports, including their nature, value and destination.
  • Provide financial support to eligible businesses with a focus on small and medium sized businesses.
  • Provide support to help businesses identify trusted professionals.
  • Encourage business to establish partnerships with universities in commercialisation and R&D and projects in key countries.
  • Extend the Victoria-Israel Science Innovation and Technology Scheme (VISITS) to the eight priority growth markets identified by the Taskforce.
  • Fund a series of ‘Global Best Practice’ seminars to build international engagement awareness and capabilities among Victorian business.
  • Aim for a 30% increase in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates over the next decade.
  • Identify and invest in the critical infrastructure needed to support the development of the National Employment Clusters and help facilitate private investment in these precincts.
  • Facilitate the development of emerging clusters and business precincts.
  • Provide targeted support to help small and medium sized enterprises leverage the benefits of existing and emerging clusters.
  • Close the education gap in Asian cultural knowledge by reforming the school curriculum to ensure that Asian cultural studies are a core unit of study among Victorian high school students.
  • Encourage businesses to work with education providers to provide internship and work experience opportunities for domestic and international students in Asia-focused businesses.
  • Actively tap into Melbourne’s established Asian communities to provide assistance and cultural information to connect with Asia-focused businesses.
  • Create long-term market development plans that focus on Victoria’s priority sectors and markets.
  • Engage industry and trade specialists from the private sector on a short-term basis to advise on the market development activities of exporters in priority industries and markets.
  • Establish tight performance targets for investment and Victorian job creation.
  • Strengthen pre- and post-mission support for trade mission participants to capitalise on identified opportunities and build longer term, trusted business relationships.
  • Examine the opportunity to outsource the delivery of inbound and outbound trade missions to the private sector in light of the skills, expertise and experience among employer bodies, bilateral chambers and the corporate sector.
  • Fund activities that help new exporters connect with more experienced exporters. This could be in the form of less formal industry-specific networking events, or a more formal mentoring program.
  • Increase the payroll tax threshold to $850,000 over the medium term.
  • Ensure the capacity of the Port of Melbourne is progressively expanded to meet the future trade needs of Victorian business.
  • Report publicly on progress towards achieving the stated 25% reduction in red tape in Victoria.
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Trading on our strengths
Victoria is responsible for 23 per cent of the nation’s services exports worth $13.4 billion. Learn about the business opportunities our state can take to the world.
Download the report Trading on our strengths (PDF, 2.45MB)