‘A big believer’: Minns backs WFH crackdown

Premier Chris Minns has slapped down suggestions forcing public servants back to the office was bad policy after Anthony Albanese called a Coalition crackdown on WFH rights as “out of touch”.

Premier Chris Minns has slapped down suggestions forcing public servants back to the office was bad policy after Anthony Albanese labelled a Coalition crackdown on work-from-home rights as “out of touch”.

While refusing to comment specifically on the federal opposition’s pledge to bring public servants back to the office five days a week, Mr Minns called himself “a big believer” in ending carte blanche WFH arrangements.

“We’re not changing our policy in relation to WFH, it was the right decision to make,” he said on Monday.

“We think it’s made a big difference, not just for the Sydney economy and workplaces closer to the CBD, but it’s hugely important for the future of the public service in the state.”

“I’m a big believer in it and I think it’s the right decision for the government.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns has backed policies forcing public servants back to the office. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

The Minns government told department secretaries in August last year that staff would be required to be back in the office a minimum of three days a week. Any further WFH arrangements would need to be approved by the department and reviewed at regular intervals.

The Premier acknowledged that while the policy was “controversial” at the time, he believed it was in the best interests of the economy.

“We had to battle through criticism but I’m glad we’ve done it,” he said.

“If you speak to people, particularly young people who come into the workforce, they’re desperate for mentoring, they’re desperate for some guidance in the workplace and that’s just not possible to do via workplace memo or YouTube video.”

Anthony Albanese labelled the Coalition’s WFH crackdown as “out of touch”. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Employment Minister Murray Watt told The Daily Telegraph on Monday he agreed a working arrangement “like the one being suggested by the NSW Premier” might indeed suit many workplaces.

“It doesn’t work in every workplace, but it does work in many workplaces,” he said.

“What we’re saying is that workers and bosses should have the opportunity to reach an agreement about whether WFH suits their workplace.

“For Peter Dutton and his Coalition to be talking about banning WFH entirely, I think, would be a massive step backwards.

The comments follow the Prime Minister criticising Peter Dutton’s plan to end WFH arrangements in the public service, describing it as disadvantageous to working families and those based in regional areas.

Peter Dutton has made WFH arrangements an election issue, calling for worker to come back to the office. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“Working from home has had a range of advantages,” Mr Albanese said on Sunday.

“One of those is less time travelling, whether that be in a private motor vehicle or on public transport to and from home.

“People who want to work full-time in order to make sure they can look after their families, this just shows how out of touch Peter Dutton is.”

While the Coalition has argued current WFH home arrangements are unsustainable and unproductive, a new report released by Liberal-aligned think tank the Menzies Research Centre, titled Stop the Bloat, has recommended an even stronger stance on staffing.

The report calls for a six-month hiring freeze across the public sector, with exemptions for graduate programs and the Australian Defence Force. It has also recommended an audit across the public service to identify departments were staffing levels have significantly increased, with benchmark staffing levels set.

In recent days, in response to backlash over the impact of the crackdown on women, Mr Dutton has suggested that instead of a strict five days in the office, numbers should return to pre-Covid levels.

Originally published as ‘A big believer’: Minns backs WFH crackdown