Business leaders call for action

MEMBERS of the Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance have travelled from across the state to network and discuss key issues facing the region.

Representatives travelled from Gippsland, the High Country, the Grampians, the Murray River and beyond to attend the conference held at the Art Gallery of Ballarat last Wednesday.

They discussed themes such as workforce and skills attraction, visitor economy and the costs of doing business in Victoria.

“A lot of people here are volunteers purely running chambers of commerce and we have people from Paynesville to Bright to Wodonga to Hamilton,” said Commerce Ballarat CEO Jodie Gillett.

“We have some very clear differences about what’s important for regional Victoria and that information will be fed back into State Government.

“It’s really critical now because times are tough.”

The Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance is the collective voice for regional chambers of commerce and business associations.

The aim of the organisation is to create a vibrant, healthy and connected regional Victoria that’s heard.

Ararat Chamber of Commerce president Tom Clark said it is important for regional businesses to unite through initiatives like this.

“It’s about collaboration because people coming together for a shared purpose is always much more powerful than people on their own,” he said.

“Almost every person you speak to has something in common or a problem you can solve or share.

“It’s a real powerhouse of sharing ideas.”

Ms Gillett said it is critical the State Government listens to the concerns of regional Victorians and takes action.

“We’re really hoping that the State Government will listen and work with us,” she said.

“We’ve certainly had those relationships in the past but there’s serious problems and we need to start addressing those.

“Rural and regional Victoria need to have a voice, it’s really important.”