Victoria delays work-from-home legislation until 2027
Sydney (12 August)
The Victorian Government will give workers the right to work from home – where possible – twice each week from 1 July 2027, six months later than originally planned, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll said on 11 August.
The Government plans to consult with businesses before passing work-from-home legislation. “I’ve heard feedback from the business community that some common sense changes can make this policy work better,” Carroll said.
“I support Victorians’ right to work from home, and I will work closely with workers and the business community to protect it,” Carroll added.
Victoria’s Legislative Assembly – the state’s lower house of Parliament – passed a Government-backed work-from-home bill on 30 July. But the Government has not progressed the bill through Victoria’s upper house of Parliament, the Legislative Council.
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has welcomed the Government’s delay, but wants it to scrap its work-from-home plans. “Our position remains clear: [work-from-home] legislation is unnecessary and should be scrapped,” BCA Chief Executive Bran Black said.
“[Premier Carroll] has also made a commitment to grow the economy and cut red tape, which we strongly [support. However,] this legislation takes Victoria in the opposite direction,” Black added.
Multiple labour unions have backed the Victorian Government’s work-from-home plans. “A lot of Victorians in all sorts of industries cannot do their work from home - but all Victorians are going to benefit from giving a choice to those who can,” Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Luke Hilakari said last year.
“Since [2020,] thousands of workers have had to argue with their boss about keeping [work-from-home] arrangements,” Hilakari added.
The Government’s work-from-home legislation will take effect after the 2026 Victorian state election on 28 November. Carroll’s Labor Party and the Victorian Liberal-National Party (LNP) Coalition are currently tied at 26% support on a first-preference basis, according to a recent Roy Morgan opinion poll.
But the LNP Coalition leads Labor by 2% points on a two-party-preferred basis, data from Roy Morgan show.
By Avinash Govind