Industry, Investment and Jobs

Ringwood is set to become the economic and employment hub of Melbourne’s outer east thanks to the State Government’s $39 million revitalisation of the town centre.

New ABS figures released today show Victoria outperformed the Australian average by attracting the highest ever level of private new capital investment in the past quarter.

Premier John Brumby today announced that computer giant IBM will open a $10.8 million IT Services Centre at the Ballarat Technology Park, creating 300 new jobs in the city.

The Port of Portland is set to reap the benefits of an expanded woodchip facility which would result in the creation of up to 1130 additional jobs and the addition of more than $250 million to the region’s economy each year.

Treasurer John Lenders today welcomed plans by Australian energy company Santos to develop a new gas fired power station near Orford, approximately 20 kilometres north of Port Fairy.

New Brumby Government laws aimed at promoting family friendly arrangements in the workplace will come into effect on 1 September.

A $35 million package to expand broadband services across Victoria and drive uptake of new internet technologies was announced as part of Innovation: Victoria’s Future, the 2008 Innovation Statement launched today by the Premier John Brumby.

Employment prospects in Victoria’s aviation industry received a timely boost today thanks to two significant announcements from Tiger Airways Australia.

The Brumby Government will invest $2 million to boost Indigenous employment programs in Victoria’s northwest.

The construction of the first new power station to be built in the Latrobe Valley for 12 years is a step closer today, as the Brumby Government signed a contract to facilitate the clean coal $750 million HRL development near Loy Yang B.