Albanese backs Victorian push to legislate right to work from home
Speaking in Melbourne on Tuesday to promote the opening of a new urgent care clinic in Melbourne's western suburbs, the prime minister was for the first time asked about Victoria's plan to legislate the right to work from home at least two days a week when possible.
Legal experts have questioned whether the state can enforce this right, having surrendered industrial relations powers to the Commonwealth, while some business groups have argued the move would take flexibility away from employers and their workers.
Albanese said Allan's working-from-home stance matched the views of the federal government.
'Jacinta Allan, as Victorian premier, she's putting forward her views,' he said. 'I've got to say it's consistent with our views, which are that working from home is something that's important, something that Australians voted for, something that Peter Dutton tried to clamp down on, and Australians responded accordingly.'
During the 2025 election campaign, the Coalition backtracked on a proposal to force federal public servants to return to the office five days a week as it began to slide in the polls and MPs reported a backlash from voters who incorrectly thought Dutton intended to force every worker back into the office.
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Albanese said Victoria could take 'whatever action they want', and the premier was responding to community sentiment that flexible work helped workers and employers.
'Every time an industrial relations change is proposed, we hear suggestions that somehow this will undermine things,' he said.
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