The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Committee for Melbourne are calling for a new industry partnership model to help Victoria secure the next wave of global investment and strengthen the state’s long-term economic competitiveness.
As part of the Maximising Victoria’s Potential and Competitiveness platform, the organisations are proposing “Industry Deals”: coordinated partnerships between governments and industry designed to align energy, infrastructure, approvals, workforce planning and investment attraction.
The platform identifies major opportunities across:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Agriculture and food processing
- Critical minerals
- Defence, aerospace and space
- Digital infrastructure and data centres
- Tourism and education exports
Victoria has strong underlying advantages including world-class universities, research capability, skilled workers and strategic infrastructure, but risks losing investment to more competitive jurisdictions.
Key reforms include:
- Establishing Industry Deals as the primary industrial policy mechanism
- Aligning energy and industrial strategy
- Fast-tracking approvals for strategically significant projects
- Creating clearer community benefit and regional development frameworks
To be attributed to Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive, Sally Curtain:
“Victoria has extraordinary strengths, but global investment is fiercely competitive.
“The industries of the future will not locate where energy is unreliable, approvals are slow and business costs are uncompetitive.
“We need a more coordinated approach that brings together government and industry around clear investment priorities.
“This is about creating the conditions for long-term jobs, productivity and economic growth.”
To be attributed to Committee for Melbourne Chief Executive, Scott Veenker:
“Greater Melbourne has the scale, talent and global connections to become a major centre for advanced industries and innovation.
“But investment decisions are being made now, and jurisdictions that move faster and provide certainty will have the advantage.
“Victoria needs to present a compelling proposition to global investors and emerging industries.”
Contact details:
To organise television or radio interviews/grabs with Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Sally Curtain or Committee for Melbourne Chief Executive Scott Veenker, please call 0423 883 945 or email [email protected]