AFR Interviews: Jess Wilson

Jess Wilson, thanks for joining us on AFR Interviews.

Thank you for having me.

You've spoken a lot about hearing the phrase anywhere but Melbourne in boardrooms.

What does that mean and what are you hearing?

I'm hearing consistently that investment capital is either fleeing Melbourne and Victoria or not coming here in the first place.

And it's particularly evident in the property sector when I talk to those who are in building and construction, property developers, the people who we need to be building more homes here in Victoria.

They're saying that the punishing tax environment, the punishing red tape is simply making it impossible to make it stack up here in Victoria to bring that capital here.

And what that means is we're not seeing the homes being constructed.

We're seeing less affordable homes for first home buyers.

But it has an impact right across the board when we're not seeing that investment here.

And it's a direct consequence of the taxes under this Labor government, 70 new or increased taxes over the past 12 years, or a government that has an anti-business agenda.

And that's exactly the type of... you know phrase that i want to see gone under a government i lead i want capital and investment coming here i don't want anyone using the term anywhere but melbourne is the problem just with the property construction and the housing sector no it's right across the board there's a lack of confidence here in victoria and you know i've spent a lot of time traveling around this state and it's not just affecting big businesses it's affecting small businesses family businesses know high streets in regional victoria businesses are saying it's just getting harder and harder to keep our doors open whether it's payroll tax whether it's land tax whether it's the fact we've seen work cover premiums increase under this government energy costs that have been driven up by the ideological approach to energy this is a government that has not supported businesses and we're seeing that really play out now with You know, small businesses, medium businesses, large businesses, all saying, why would I choose to grow my business here, employ someone else here, be headquartered here? And that's exactly the type of thing we need to turn around to bring confidence back to this state.

What do you say

to people when you hear that phrase? I find it incredibly frustrating.

I say, I understand why you feel like that.

And it's part of the reason why we're seeing so much anger and frustration on the ground.

People who run businesses, they're the people who take the risk, work the extra hours.

They're the people who are actually employing other people in this state.

And to have a government that is making harder for them to do that, these are direct decisions by the Labor government.

to increase land tax, to increase payroll tax, to see 70 new or increased taxes over the past 12 years, the red tape environment, and a real sense that business is no longer at the centre of the economy here in Victoria.

And I say to them, we can change it.

I want to put business back at the centre of the economy.

On the 29th of November this year, if Victorians do me the honour of making me their next Premier, I want to declare Victoria back open for business and make sure that we get that confidence boost immediately because there will be no new or increased taxes under a government

I lead.

What are the top three priorities which you think are needed to turn Victoria around and bring that business confidence back?