The Victorian Chamber is urging the State Government to take decisive action in the upcoming 2025-26 Budget to drive Victoria’s competitiveness, stimulate economic growth and create a stronger future for businesses and workers.
Confidence is key here and, once confidence is restored, the State will forge ahead. Victorians, and those wanting to invest in Victoria, want certainty around how the debt will be treated and how our energy future will be managed, and we need to stimulate the Property sector.
With Victoria facing record public debt, rising business costs and increasing regulatory burdens, the Victorian Chamber has outlined a targeted reform agenda to support private sector-led growth with seven main policy recommendations, aimed at steering Victoria through challenging economic times.
The Victorian Chamber represents more than 100,000 members, customers and clients and developed our State Budget Submission, ‘Prosperous Victoria: Business-led growth’through extensive industry consultation. It advocates for urgent action in the following areas:
- Stabilise debt and provide a clear path for debt reduction
- Impose no new taxes and reduce the regulatory burden on business
- Enable the property sector by cutting land tax and red tape
- Become the leading state for apprenticeships
- Establish a clear energy roadmap that ensures affordable, secure and reliable energy
- Better coordinate significant infrastructure, including private-sector led, by revamping public-private partnerships and
- Develop the growth industries – exports, tourism, innovation and manufacturing – that are fundamental to our future prosperity.
Businesses are ready to invest, create jobs and drive economic recovery – if the right settings are in place.
For a copy of our complete State Budget Submission please email media@victorianchamber.com.au.
To be attributed to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra:
“It is important to restore confidence in our State’s future by detailing how debt will be dealt with, how our energy future will be navigated, and unleashing the property sector by removing the recent land tax.
“With appropriate signalling, we can then clear the path for increased business investment and growth, provided business is not burdened with new taxes or levies. Growth is the way forward, not increased taxation, but we will need to be brave in developing the skills and choosing the right industries.
“We have the potential to lead the nation in economic growth, innovation and business success, but that won’t happen unless we remove barriers to investment, cut red tape and create a business-friendly environment that drives confidence and prosperity.
“The 2025-26 Budget is a chance to build on the ambition set out in the Victorian Government’s Economic Growth Statement. That starts with confidence being built in the business sector
“This Budget comes at a key time for Victoria. It's time to stop burdening businesses with rising costs and instead empower them to grow, innovate and compete. Business needs certainty to invest and by outlining the State’s plan on the debt and energy and by getting the property sector moving, we have a chance to embrace real growth.
“A thriving business sector means a stronger Victoria for everyone.”
Contact details:
Mikkayla Mossop, media@victorianchamber.com.au, 0423 883 945
