Victorian Premier Ben Carroll claimed he had an "open door policy" for business after a report found high taxes, slow and unnecessary regulation and relatively high unemployment rates continue to weigh heavily on Victorian businesses.
Mr Carroll rejected claims saying Victoria had been named the worst state in the country for doing business, as the countdown to election day hit one month.
Released late on Tuesday, the report by the Business Council of Australia's annual Regulation Rumble, crowned South Australia as the best place to do business for the fourth year running, with the most competitive payroll tax and licensing requirements in the nation.
Victoria's failure to address serious challenges had left it with the unwelcome title of the least desirable state to start a business for the third consecutive year, the council's chief executive Bran Black said.
"The same problems we identified last year still exist, particularly around payroll tax, property taxes and business licensing," Mr Black said.
Speaking to the report on Wednesday Mr Carroll said the economy was growing.
"I speak with businesses every day, and they say what you are doing in terms of confidence (and) the open door policy for business, is something we deeply appreciate."
Victoria remained anchored at the bottom of the list in most categories and slipped from fourth to last on planning.
The council attributed the plunge to slower decision-making times compared to other states, noting a major overhaul of the state's planning and environment laws not taking effect for another 12 months.
The calamitous result for Victoria comes as Mr Carroll and Opposition Leader Jess Wilson outlined their visions beyond the election at a Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry event in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Despite an awkward handshake, the pair appeared cordial as they discussed their priorities and policy plans.
On the campaign bus on Wednesday morning, the first stop was in Melbourne's northwest, where Labor announced its latest health plan.
Abusive ambulance patients will be stripped of their Ambulance Victoria membership, meaning they would lose their cover for treatment costs, under a re-elected government.
The suspension would be in place for a year.
Mr Carroll's wife Fiona Rothville joined journalists on the campaign bus, where she answered questions about whether she was behind some policy decisions.
"I'm very happy to be involved in the campaign, you'll not see me every day. It'll be, you know, a couple of times of the campaign here and there," she said.
"(It's) just to support them and support my family and balance my responsibilities across the state."
One Nation continued to target regional seats with its Wednesday policy announcements, promising a temporary halt on new waste to energy facilities to ensure they aren't built too close to homes, schools, hospitals or agricultural land.Residents in the seats of Lara and Sunbury, west of Melbourne, have pushed back against planned facilities - despite Labor promising a two kilometre buffer between homes and newly proposed facilities.One Nation deputy leader Colleen Harkin said Labor's buffer doesn't go far enough.
