Thursday, 14 August 2025

Pascoe Vale electorate

Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (14:49): (1249) My constituency question is for the Premier. What is the Victorian Labor government doing to protect the rights of working people to work from home? Working from home works for families and it is good for the economy. According to the 2021 ABS census at least 36 per cent of locals across Merri-bek worked from home. That is over 33,500 residents. Whether you are from Pascoe Vale, Coburg or Brunswick West, working from home continues to give families more time with loved ones and less time on the train, tram and in traffic. When we give workers back their time to be parents, carers, volunteers or simply to live, we create a fairer, more sustainable Victoria. But it is not just good for the workers themselves. It brings life to our local shopping strips and small businesses whilst helping to make kinder and school pick-ups much easier for many parents. Whilst not everyone can work from home, everyone can benefit. That is why we have launched the community consultation on the proposed new laws, which will provide people who can reasonably do their jobs from home two days a week the right to do so across the public and private sectors. We want to hear from employees and businesses to ensure the proposed laws reflect the real-world experience of working from home: what is fair, what is practical and what is already working in many workplaces. As part of this, the message from the Victorian Labor government is very clear: we will make working from home a right, not a request. We will enshrine it in law.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on a number of unanswered questions, I ask that these get answered; they are well overdue. There are two questions unanswered by the Minister for Finance. These are questions on notice 2550 and 2551. There are 23 questions unresponded to by the Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC. These are questions on notice 2436, 2437, 2438, 2439, 2440, 2441, 2442, 2443, 2444, 2445, 2446, 2447, 2448, 2449, 2450, 2522, 2523, 2524, 2525, 2526, 2527, 2528 and 2529. Also, a number for the Treasurer: questions on notice 2419, 2420, 2421, 2422, 2423, 2424, 2425, 2512 and 2520. I would appreciate responses for my constituents, please.

The SPEAKER: I ask you to hand your list to the clerks, please.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I wish to raise with you a number of outstanding questions that I know you have written to the Premier about previously asking for a response, and the Premier so far has been unable to respond. Question 1120 was due in June; 1094 was due in May; 1060 was due in April; also 1049, which was due in April; and 984, which was due in March. Speaker, I am concerned because the former Premier did not have an inability to answer questions and these questions are quite delayed in response.

The SPEAKER: Points of order are not an opportunity to make a statement to the house. If you would like to hand your list to the clerks, we will have them addressed.