Tuesday, 16 June 2026

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:05): We know that working from home works. We know it works for families, it works for parents, it works for the economy and it works for the broader community. Why does it do this? Because it means less time stuck in traffic and less money that families have to spend on fuelling their cars, on tolls and on parking. It also gives valuable time back to parents. It can mean more time for the school run and more time for dealing with those family matters. Most importantly, it saves families money. It is estimated that working from home can save working people up to $5000 a year. That is putting money back into the household budget at a time we know families need that support. That is why, alongside being good for families and saving time and money, we know working from home is good for the economy. It lifts workforce participation rates, particularly for women. It helps get women into the workforce. It also means workers are more productive. Workers report that and employers report that as well.

That is why our Labor government is locking in people’s right to work from home, introducing legislation to make it a legal right here in Victoria. If you can do your job from home, you will have the right to do so for two days a week. It is for full-time workers, part-time workers and regular casuals as well. You have got to ask the question: why do we need to do this? We know that around the country there are bosses who are trying to take this opportunity away from workers and Liberals who do not support it and want to wind it back as well. Well, we back workers. We back them to save time and money, and we back them with their right to work from home. We will continue to do this work by making it law from 1 September.