Andrew Bragg says Coalition will support WFH, backing ‘agency' for workers
A Liberal frontbencher has backflipped on working from home arrangements, saying they 'could be productive' and vowing the Coalition's support for 'individual liberty' and the 'agency' of workers.
The opposition was forced mid-election campaign to dump its plagued policy to force public servants back to the office after a savage backlash.
Speaking to 3AW on Tuesday, Coalition productivity and deregulation spokesman Andrew Bragg spruiked the benefits of hybrid working, saying it was a position he also held 'during the campaign'.
He also referenced a recent Productivity Commission report which said a mix of working from home and office arrangements helped increase productivity and job satisfaction.
'In fact, most of the evidence comes down to support the proposition that working from home on a hybrid basis actually is good for people, good for the economy,' he said.
'As I say, we're into individual agency, we want to help families, we want to help individuals, and this is, in many cases, the best outcome for people.'
Senator Bragg said there were benefits to the hybrid mode.
'There's a big benefit in getting around the water-cooler and having a debate or a discussion about some challenges the business is trying to solve, but when people want to do some deep work, deep thinking, deep reading, often that is better done at home, not in an open plan office,' he said.
Speaking about his other portfolio overseeing housing and homelessness, Senator Bragg also said the government should prioritise repurposing office building into housing.
'We have a massive housing problem under this government. And, I would say that where a building can be repurposed into housing, that should be a top priority,' he said.
According to the Property Council of Australia, vacancy rates across the CBD have remained steady between 13.6 to 13.7 per cent over the six months to January 2025.
Non-CBD office vacancy rate stayed at 17.2 per cent.
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