The New South Wales government ordered all public servants to work from their offices and called for tighter restrictions on remote working, according to Australian media.
The move came after news outlets sparked a tense debate about work-from-home habits established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Minns, the New South Wales premier, stated on Monday that “building and replenishing public institutions” required “being physically present.”
Business and property groups in the state’s largest city, Sydney, welcomed his comments. However, labour unions condemned the initiative, vowing to challenge it if invoked unnecessarily.
The order made the state government, Australia’s largest employer with more than 400,000 employees, the latest in a growing number of companies and institutions around the world to seek to abolish remote working introduced in the wake of the spread of the coronavirus. Chris F. Wright, an associate professor in the discipline of work at the University of Sydney, stated:
It seems that the Rupert Murdoch-owned Daily Telegraph in Sydney has been trying to get the New South Wales government to mandate essentially that workers go back to the office.
The move is a “game-changer” for weakening city centre businesses, Katie Stevenson, executive director of the Australian Property Council’s NSW branch, said.
More workers mean more life, more investment, and more business for our cities.
The order also states that individual agencies can develop their own policies, but must ensure that employees “spread attendance across all days of the working week.” Under the directive, requests to work from home in some cases must be formally authorised for a limited period of time only, and the reasons for the request must be stated.
The order distinguishes New South Wales from other Australian states. A spokesperson for Jacinta Allan, the premier of neighbouring Victoria, said the state’s remote working benefits would remain in place, while disgruntled NSW public servants should consider relocating there.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese widely supports remote working. Later this month, his government will also pass a “right to disconnect” law. The legislation will allow employees to refuse office communications outside of their agreed upon working hours.
