By Mark Stone
The 2012-13 State Budget has recognised the challenges confronting business with a number of initiatives designed to lower costs and improve competitiveness.
Budget tackles business challenges
May 1, 2012
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Economy | Tagged: business confidence, Infrastructure, Mark Stone, State Budget, WorkCover | 
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Business must be key priority in coming State Budget
April 30, 2012By Mark Stone
With a crucial time ahead, Victorian businesses must be the state’s number one priority in tomorrow’s State Budget.
Reforms in the State Budget that champion business will be rewarded with faster rates of business start-up and expansion, accelerated investment and jobs growth, and greater productivity and innovation in markets at home and abroad.
Such benefits cannot be left to chance. They must be front and centre of the Budget and its policy and program reforms for business.
Leave a Comment » | Economy | Tagged: business confidence, Infrastructure, Mark Stone, red tape, State Budget | Permalink
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Continuing education and training reform the key to a competitive workforce future
April 26, 2012By Mark Stone
The issues which have inhibited productivity improvements in Victoria over the past decade clearly indicate that problems in the labour force are deeply rooted in the education system.
Educating and training Victorians to be world-class in their fields is a major challenge for the Victorian economy. Industry requires a strong education and training system to meet future needs, particularly in developing workforce capability to respond to the ever-intensifying challenges of global competition. The reform focus must be on improving labour market flexibility and raising productivity.
VECCI is concerned that the current education and training system does not meet current societal requirements, let alone position Victorian industry to meet the challenges of the next decade.
1 Comment | Education | Tagged: Education, Mark Stone, school completion, schools, Skills, State Budget, training, workforce | Permalink
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International tourism and business growth dependent on infrastructure investment
April 17, 2012By Mark Stone
As international interest in Victoria as a tourist destination grows, the tourism industry and businesses alike are calling on the government to turn its investment focus to infrastructure to support this prospective market.
Leave a Comment » | Infrastructure, Tourism | Tagged: Avalon Airport, Great Ocean Road, Infrastructure, Mark Stone, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, State Budget, Tourism | Permalink
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State infrastructure key to competitiveness in rapid global trade growth
April 10, 2012By Mark Stone
The Victorian Government must act now to ensure that the state is prepared for the expected rapid growth in international trade and can capitalise on the opportunities that this presents to Victorian business.
2 Comments | Infrastructure | Tagged: Baillieu Government, Budget, Infrastructure, Mark Stone, trade, VECCI, Victoria | Permalink
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Addressing unfinished business must be key part of 2012 State Government Budget strategy
April 5, 2012By Mark Stone
Victoria’s leading business group has urged the Baillieu Government to use the 2012 budget formulation process to ensure there is no unnecessary slippage in implementing pre-and-post election commitments important to business.
Leave a Comment » | Economy | Tagged: Baillieu Government, business, Economy, Mark Stone, State Budget, Tourism, VCEC, Victoria | Permalink
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Scrapping state emissions reduction target the right move
April 2, 2012By Mark Stone
VECCI welcomes the State Government’s decision to repeal the 20 per cent emissions reduction target for Victoria. With the national emissions target and the impending carbon tax, we were in danger of having two targets, two burdens on business that would have put jobs and investment at risk.
9 Comments | Economy, Environment | Tagged: business, carbon emissions, Mark Stone, target, VECCI, Victoria | Permalink
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Melbourne Airport plans to deliver significant economic and employment investment
March 26, 2012By Mark Stone
VECCI has welcomed news that up to 400 contractor jobs, and many more permanent jobs, will be created at the Melbourne Airport according to a draft plan for the Southern Precinct project which outlines significant benefits for the Victorian economy.
Leave a Comment » | Infrastructure, Tourism | Tagged: Infrastructure, jobs, Mark Stone, Melbourne Airport, Tourism | Permalink
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Difficult times require strategic, pro-business Budget
March 26, 2012By Mark Stone
The time ahead is a crucial one for Victoria – and for Victorian business – according to VECCI’s pre-Budget submission to the State Treasurer.
With current softer domestic economic conditions, the State Government must focus its attention on supporting Victorian industry through practical actions that lower business costs, raise productivity and improve the environment for private sector investment and jobs growth.
Leave a Comment » | Economy, Politics | Tagged: Baillieu Government, business confidence, Infrastructure, Mark Stone, State Budget, tax reform, VECCI | Permalink
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The whole of Victoria’s events calendar is much greater than the sum of the parts
March 16, 2012By Mark Stone
As Melbourne again prepares for the annual Formula One Australian Grand Prix event this weekend, I call on the State Government and the local community alike to take notice of the immense success this single event brings our state in terms of employment, tourism and services investment and ask, if this key event is to be wiped from our events calendar, how will the rest of Victoria’s key tourism events survive?
10 Comments | Tourism | Tagged: Economy, events, formula one, Mark Stone, Melbourne Grand Prix, Tourism | Permalink
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