Scott Morrison urges workers to return to CBD offices

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it’s time for people who work in Australia’s city centres to get back into the office as the economic consequences of working from home continue to bite retailers.

It is time for CBD workers to “get back to the office”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said as fears grow over the economic toll of the empty streets.

Even as restrictions lift, Brisbane’s office occupancy and even the number of pedestrians in the Queen Street Mall are just two thirds of what it was pre-Covid.

The city also faces congestion issues as a pandemic-averse population stays away from public transport.

Queen Street Mall in Brisbane CBD after lockdown was lifted. Picture: Tara Croser.

Mr Morrison’s call for office workers to return followed a plea to the national cabinet by the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, headed by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

Making Covid-19 vaccines available to over 40s nationally, which as already been done in Queensland, as well as appointing a new head of national Covid vaccination task force, were also discussed at national cabinet.

Brisbane’s CBD office occupancy is at 63 per cent of where it was pre-Covid, with similar figures in capital cities across the country.

Multinational companies rules around staffing locations, drop offs in tourism and international students, as well as continued uncertainty around lockdowns and reduced public transport use have impacted the number of people frequenting CBDs, according to Cr Schrinner.

Mr Morrison said he had a simple message to help revitalise the CBDs, which once generated almost 70 per cent of the nation’s economic activity.

“It’s time to get back to the office,” he said.

“State Government employers and the Federal Government employers are saying it is time to come back to the office.

“But, the challenge is that we have got many corporates, particularly corporate headquarters of companies that are headquartered globally overseas, who are using US or European or UK rules regarding people’s presence in the office, they are not appropriate to Australia.

“We have been encouraging them to standardise the working arrangements to be consistent to what is happening here in Australia and not overseas.”

He said the national medical body, the Australia Health Protection Principal Committee, would also be asked to review office density Covid guidelines to ensure they were not preventing people returning to work from the office.

Frankie and George cafe manager Ryan Fairbairn says it would be a “dream” if foot traffic improved again. Picture: Annette Dew

Cr Schrinner said occupancy rates had increased from the historic lows last year, but it appeared that growth was levelling off.

“The working-from-home phenomena may suit many people but we can’t ignore the fact it has an economic consequence,” Cr Schrinner said.

“More needs to be done to get Australia’s major cities fully back on their feet.”

Frankie and George manager Ryan Fairbairn said foot traffic on George St remained far lower than what it was prior to the pandemic, with a noticeable decrease in business at the cafe since Victoria’s lockdown was announced last week.

“We start picking up again but every time there’s a sign of anything related to Covid people get a bit spooked and if they have the option to work from home seem to do that,” he said.

“Foot traffic is way down from what it used to be so it would be an absolute dream if there was something to pull that back up.”