Creating Jobs for Victoria
The State Labor Government has worked hard to make Victoria a great place to live, work and invest.
We have put in place the right policies to encourage business growth and investment, providing more jobs for Victorians. More than 380,000 new jobs have been created since the election of the State Labor Government in 1999. Victoria’s unemployment rate has recently decreased to levels not seen in 17 years.
We have been directly involved in attracting and facilitating more than $15 billion of investment, creating over 42,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in exports.
The State Labor Government has taken Victoria from the state with the highest number of business taxes to the state with the equal lowest. The Government has announced tax cuts worth more than $4 billion – cutting business costs and making Victoria a more attractive place to invest.
The 2007-08 Budget provided for a further cut of 10 per cent to WorkCover premiums, saving employers $680 million over the next four years.
This was the fourth consecutive 10 per cent cut to average WorkCover premiums. Workplace deaths and injuries were at their lowest on record in 2004-05.
The Brumby Government is committed to reducing unnecessary regulation through the establishment of the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission. We have led Australian governments in promoting a third wave of national reform to increase workforce participation, promote competition and cut the burden of regulation – setting a target of cutting red tape for businesses and not-for-profit organisations by 15 per cent in the next three years.
We have strongly supported innovation in science, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing, with Victoria now the leading biotechnology location in the Asia- Pacific region. Melbourne is now home to one of the world’s largest stem cell and regenerative medicine research hubs.
"Victoria’s unemployment rate is at its lowest since 1990"The State Labor Government has successfully delivered $620 million in grants under the Science, Technology and Innovation program to support research and development in areas such as automotive technology and food. More than $1.1 billion in ICT investment has been secured by Victoria over the five years to June 2005, generating more than 8,000 jobs.
Victoria’s population has grown strongly since 1999 and is now in excess of 5 million. The State’s annual population growth exceeded the national average for the first time in June 2005, and almost one in three skilled migrants coming to Australia is now choosing Victoria.
In 2004 the State Labor Government launched the $11 million Opening Doors to Export Plan – a strategy to assist Victorian companies to begin exporting and increase their exports.
We have provided targeted assistance to help Victorians into jobs, including more than 9,300 Return to Work grants to parents wanting to return to the workforce after taking more than two years out to care for their children.
We have provided a fairer marketplace for small business by implementing new retail leasing laws and establishing an Australian first – the Small Business Commissioner. The Government has also campaigned to ensure the Trade Practices Act protects small business from unfair market practices. Unfair payment clauses have been introduced into Government contracts with small business to ensure that suppliers are paid within 30 days of billing.
Building Victoria
The Brumby Government is delivering the infrastructure Victoria needs for better services, higher living standards and a strong and growing economy.
Over the past seven years, the State Labor Government has invested a record $16 billion into capital works. We will invest a further $13 billion over the next four years. That compares with an average of less than $1 billion a year during the 1990s.
As part of this unprecedented infrastructure program, we are building more hospitals, building and upgrading schools and constructing new police stations.
New sporting facilities, water infrastructure, cultural centres, and science and technology centres are also being built.
This massive investment in improved infrastructure includes developments throughout metropolitan and country Victoria, to create new jobs, stimulate new investment and generate new opportunities for businesses and industries.
Current infrastructure projects include:
- Building a new Melbourne Convention Centre;
- Relocating and redeveloping the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Markets;
- Building the Australian Synchrotron;
- Building EastLink – Australia’s largest single road project;
- The Pakenham and Geelong Bypasses and the Tullamarine–Calder Freeway interchange;
- The new Southern Cross Station (formerly Spencer Street Station);
- The new broadband network for Government schools;
- Upgrading our public hospitals including the Royal Women’s and Royal Children’s;
- Investing in a range of health services including The Alfred Elective Surgery Centre, the Grace McKellar Centre in Geelong, Kew Residential Services and three new Superclinics in Lilydale, Craigieburn and Melton; and
- The Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and Victorian Water Trust projects.
"we are building more hospitals, building and upgrading schools and constructing new police stations"The State Labor Government’s completed major projects include the Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women redevelopments, the new Casey Hospital, the redevelopment of the National Gallery of Victoria, the Docklands Film and Television Studios, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Hallam Bypass, the Box Hill and Vermont South tram extensions and the County Court.
The Melbourne Showgrounds have been redeveloped, and the Regional Fast Rail Project is delivering frequent, reliable and comfortable rail links to Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and the Latrobe Valley.
The redevelopment of the MCG and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre plus the construction of the Athletes Village were completed for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Government is committed to the Port of Melbourne Channel Deepening project provided that all environmental requirements are met.
A World Class Destination
Since coming to office the State Labor Government has invested heavily in the growth and prosperity of the tourism industry, creating more jobs and opportunities across Victoria. This unprecedented investment has seen the industry grow by a massive 49 per cent since 1999.Find out more by selecting the link below.