A third jet airport for Melbourne, a second city east-west link and the fast-tracking of development approvals for regional projects are some of the ideas to be discussed at the 2011 VECCI Ideas Forum today at Parliament House in Melbourne.

The Forum will bring together leaders from the business community, business owners, senior executives and representatives of government to develop, discuss and debate the most important ideas that will make a difference to Victoria’s competitive future.

Ideas have been submitted from all over the state, and the topics to be discussed include ideas for tax reform, to reduce government expenditure, infrastructure projects and attracting events to regional Victoria. 

While Victoria has benefited from strong population and economic growth over recent decades, the State’s productivity is declining. The Forum will explore and develop new ideas to transform Victoria’s greatest assets, generating new opportunities for employment, investment and trade.

The outcome of the Forum will be a collection of 30 great ideas that will be used by VECCI to inspire and influence key decision makers.

The VECCI Ideas Forum will explore three key themes:

• Business Futures: exploring the structural changes, challenges and emerging opportunities facing Victorian businesses, small and large.
• People Futures: examining the many challenges that confront employers and their workforces; addressing how employers can leverage global markets and drive productivity, flexibility and innovation.
• Regional Futures: investigating how our regions can continue to contribute to Victoria’s growth and realise new business opportunities along the way.

The keynote address will be delivered by Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) Chair Dr Matthew Butlin, who will speak on the topic of ‘Keeping Victoria Competitive’.

For a list of the 30 ideas, visit What Business Wants.