Thursday, 14 August 2025

Ministers statements: working from home

Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (14:24): On this side of the chamber nothing gets us out of bed more than protecting workers, whether it is workers working from home or workers working at a worksite. I am very pleased to update the house on the guidelines WorkSafe is preparing on work from home, because we do know work from home is good for employers, good for employees, good for gender equality and good for people with mobility issues and disabilities. The WorkSafe guidance that is underway now will embed work from home in the guidance for employers as well as employees. It will provide clear health and safety rules for employers, as well as mental health support for workers. WorkSafe will engage during the consultation process in the development of the legislation and will also be providing any further guidance that is required to make sure we embed work from home as a right.

Speaker, it is very difficult to work out, and you have always said we can compare and contrast. We know that earlier this year the member for Brighton said he would have all the public servants back at their cubicles. We also know the member for Goldstein just recently wrote a very well known opinion piece where he called it professional apartheid not once, not twice but wrote ‘professional apartheid’ three times in that article. We also know the member for Lowan, to her credit –

Jacinta Allan: It’s a shame she’s not here.

Ben CARROLL: Yes, it is a shame, Premier. She said on Tuesday in the chamber that on that side they ‘absolutely are committed to working from home’ and it is a policy position ‘I strongly believe in’. We look forward to the shadow cabinet meeting on Monday and hearing all about it. When it comes to the Leader of the Opposition, in April he said he did not have a position. It was a bit like nuclear: ‘I’ll wait until after the election.’

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Bulleen is warned.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, ministers statements are an opportunity for the government to countenance their policy decisions, not to talk about the opposition. I would ask you to ask the minister to come back to that.

Mary-Anne Thomas: Speaker, there is no point of order. The Deputy Premier, as he has just indicated, was quoting directly from the Leader of the Opposition, and it has been ruled many times in this place that it is entirely appropriate for ministers on their feet to compare and contrast the policy position of government with that on the other side.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order.

Ben CARROLL: Just for Hansard’s sake, I will repeat, from the Herald Sun on 7 April:

Mr Battin insisted the state opposition currently has no position on WFH.

“We haven’t got a position …