The October 2026 Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance Business Health Survey reveals a deeply concerning trend across rural and regional Victoria. Businesses are continuing to trade, employ and contribute to their communities, but the personal and financial sustainability of their owners is deteriorating.
The most alarming finding is that only 39.5% of respondents are consistently drawing a living wage from their business, a significant decline from 55% in May 2026. More than 60% are now either unable to draw a living wage or can do so only sometimes. Furthermore, 37.3% report that their business does not support a healthy work-life balance, up from 28.9% just five months earlier.These figures reveal a business community where working harder is increasingly failing to translate into financial security or personal wellbeing.
There are some encouraging signs. The proportion of businesses concerned they may not survive beyond 12 months has decreased from 24.8% in May to 20.7% in October. However, longer-term confidence continues to weaken. Only 34.5% now believe their business can remain viable for more than ten years, compared with 41.3% in May and 49.2% in September 2025.
Businesses may be becoming better at surviving the immediate challenges, but they are becoming less confident in their long-term future.
Trading conditions remain uneven. Some 56.4% of respondents are operating at 80% or less of their typical sales levels, up from 49.6% in May. Conversely, the proportion exceeding typical sales has increased from 9.2% to 14.5%. This suggests an increasingly uneven business environment, with some businesses finding opportunities while many others continue to struggle.
Confidence in government remains exceptionally low. Some 82.8% of respondents report low or no confidence in the Victorian Government.
This should serve as a clear message: regional businesses are seeking practical, measurable reforms that reduce the cost and complexity of operating, encourage investment, address workforce constraints and restore confidence in the future.
The Victorian Regional Chamber Alliance calls for genuine engagement with regional chambers and business associations to develop place-based solutions. This must include reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, addressing rising operating and employment costs, improving regional infrastructure, and supporting access to housing and workforce development.
Regional businesses remain resilient, but resilience must not be mistaken for unlimited capacity to absorb further financial and administrative pressure.
The real risk is no longer simply that businesses will close tomorrow. It is that the people who own and operate them are steadily losing the financial incentive, confidence and personal capacity to continue.
Protecting the future of regional Victoria requires protecting the viability of the businesses that sustain its communities.
Media contact: Graham Jenkin CEO Business Wodonga 0419 038 395