Wednesday, 13 August 2025

Ministers statements: working from home

Steve DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh – Minister for Environment, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Outdoor Recreation) (14:32): The Allan Labor government’s commitment to legislate the right to work from home a couple of days a week is not just good for household budgets or the demands of a modern family; it is also fantastic for those Victorians who want to enjoy the great outdoors or the extraordinary events calendar we have in Victoria. We have invested in parks and gardens and waterways right throughout Victoria. The average savings in travelling of someone working from home is 3 hours a week. That means you have got 3 hours back in your week to do a whole bunch of things.

Can I give Victorians some suggestions, through you, Speaker. Rather than being stuck in gridlock, you could go to the 30-odd upgraded off-leash dog parks with your four-legged friends and enjoy some of the amenities there, including the one in the Leader of the Opposition’s electorate. Instead of being packed on a train, families can go to any one of the suburban waterways and lakes, including Karkarook Park in the member for Clarinda’s electorate, Lake Wendouree in the member for Wendouree’s electorate or the beautiful Ferntree Gully quarry in the member for Monbulk’s electorate and go fishing – rather than being stuck on a packed train. In fact rather than being stressed about picking up the kids from child care or from school you could, straight after work from home, go to the Cranbourne botanic gardens and enjoy the beautiful asset that is there, go to the Queen Victoria Market or catch the AFLW match tomorrow night – Carlton and Collingwood – at Ikon Park. I want to wish all the AFLW players a fantastic start to the season this week.

Fundamentally, because of the investments of the Allan Labor government right across the events economy, right across parks and gardens, right across the outdoors, right across Victoria, the value of working from home and not being stuck in a train or in gridlock on a road is more meaningful in this state than in any other state in the country.