Letter to the editor – Supporting local business in 2025

In 2025, one of my priorities will be supporting local businesses with roundtables and private meetings to ensure our region continues to be a viable option for businesses to grow and prosper.

Unfortunately, recent statistics show that Victoria is the worst place to do business in Australia, with over 32,338 Victorian businesses closing or moving interstate in the September quarter of 2024.

These meetings will be available to businesses of all sizes, and I believe they will be highly beneficial to ensuring the success of our local economy, job prospects, growth, and the future of our regional communities.

For anyone interested in participating or meeting with me to discuss this, please email me at annabelle.cleeland@parliament.vic.gov.au.