Queensland work-from-home order would be catastrophic, says industry leaders

Queensland industry leaders say a work-from-home order would be catastrophic and are pleading with the state government “don’t take a step backwards”. VOTE IN OUR POLL

A work-from-home order could be “catastrophic” for city centres around the state, warn industry bodies, who say Queensland businesses are feeling “nervous” about what’s to come amid the state’s third Omicron wave.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said on Wednesday Australians should work from home as Covid-19 and flu cases surged.

“I think we are going to go through a difficult period, and if employers feel that there is the ability to continue their operations with that sort of change for a little period, then the chief health officers are providing good advice,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she would have to consult the chief health officer to see if Queenslanders would follow suit.

“I think the key point here is if you are sick you should stay home,” she said.

A work-from-home order would be “catastrophic” for city centres, according to Queensland industry leaders. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“If you are a young person and you have elderly grand­parents, you might want to think about your interaction with those elderly grandparents during this wave.”

However, Property Council’s Queensland executive ­director Jen Williams urged the government to keep city centres open, saying “now is not the time to take a step backwards”.

“Without the underlying demand of the city’s white-collar workforce, most CBD businesses simply cannot keep their doors open,” she said.

“We have just this week seen the return of a business that closed down during the pandemic. New directives to work from home could be catastrophic for this business and many others,” Ms Williams said.

Meanwhile, National Retail Association chief executive Dominique Lamb said small businesses needed more certainty from the government to know they were past the worst of the pandemic.

“Small businesses certainly get nervous when they hear anything about mask wearing or working from home orders,” she said.

“They just need certainty right now, and they need to know the worst is over.”

National Retail Association CEO Dominique Lamb. Picture: Tara Croser.

Ms Lamb said that at the end of the day businesses needed people “out and about” to recover from the past two years.

“Any direction around working from home is problematic for retailers … It creates a decline in traffic and spending, it’s probably the last thing they need,” she said.

But businesses should be encouraged to make their own decisions about working from home based on their own circumstances, according to Jason Wales from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, who said managing Covid-19 had become “second nature” for most workplaces across the state.

“Queensland businesses would by now have their Covid contingency and management plans in place, and they know how to manage the impact on their business, workforce and customers, including if that means working from home for some businesses,” he said.

Queenslanders are being encouraged to wear masks amid a third wave of Covid cases. Picture: Liam Kidston.

However, staff shortages are still creating a “significant” impact on businesses across the state.

Mr Wales said some businesses were paying record-high wage bills just to keep staff on.

“There are a number of factors contributing to this, including the recent pause on international migration and a lack of available housing, however, we know Covid and other illnesses are compounding on those shortages facing businesses,” he said.

South Brisbane’s performance centre, QPAC, has announced that patrons will have to wear masks again in the foyer and theatre, as of Thursday, in order to keep running live performances.

Ms Palaszczuk also urged Queenslanders to reconsider their personal interactions with elderly relatives and to work from home if sick.

The request came as it was revealed that the state recorded another 7517 new Covid-19 cases and 12 more deaths in the previous 24 hours.

There were 859 people in hospital with the virus, including 14 in ICU.

Ms Palaszczuk urged seniors to wear masks and said the onus was on individuals to keep safe during the wave, which is expected to peak in late July or early August.

More than 2300 health staff are currently away from work due to illness.