MP Ben Carroll denies plan for four-day Victorian work week

An Andrews government minister says there are no plans to change the Victorian working week after a draft plan was emailed to members.

Transport and Industry Support Minister Ben Carroll says there are “no plans” for Victoria to adopt a four-day working week, however he did recognise workers’ preferences.

After a draft copy of the Labor policy platform was emailed to members last month, recommending looking at the benefits of a reduced working week, Caroll said there was nothing in place to begin the transition from five days to four.

“It’s just a policy draft that’s been emailed to literally 1000s of people, and there are no plans to change the working week,” he said on Saturday.

“But we recognise too that Victorians are often now working on a hybrid model, (people are working) two days at home, three days in the workplace.

“(We’re trying) to continue to support Victorians in any way we can to go about their working lives and their family lives.”

Transport and Industry Support Minister Ben Carroll says there are ‘no plans’ for Victoria to adopt a four-day working week. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Carroll said feedback from businesses and workers would be crucial in taking steps forward to introduce the four-day week.

“I think any party, any government would always be looking at how you can support working people in their home arrangements … so that’s very much been a draft consultation statement that’s been released,” he added.

“I’ve got no announcements to make on (the four-day week).

“But we’ll continue to work with Victorians, work with stakeholders and give feedback on working from home, making different changes to different policy settings around public transport to support them and do what we need to do.”

“We are doing what we can to consult and we’ll have a positive forward agenda to announce closer to the election.”

The four-day week plan was among a list of ideas Labor was considering. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The draft proposal by Victorian Labor to explore a four-day week was questioned, with employer groups saying it must not come at the cost of productivity.

An early policy platform for the 2022 poll was emailed to Labor members this month detailing a list of ideas the party was considering pledging to introduce in its fourth term.

It called for feedback in just 10 days and included proposals to introduce a gas reserve in Victoria along with investigating an extra Christmas Eve public holiday and reinstating Workers Family Picnic Day.

Both public holiday ideas formed part of the 2018 platform and not yet delivered, however a new addition to the document floated a major change to how Victorians work.

It recommended looking at the benefits of a reduced work week to four days without any reduction in pay.

When asked about the document and the four-day week proposal, a government spokeswoman said it was not completed.

“This is a draft document,” she said.

“The platform is not yet finalised and is a matter for the Party.

“Details of Labor’s positive and optimistic plan for Victoria will continue to be released by the government over coming weeks.”

Small Business Australia executive Bill Lang said employers were not necessarily opposed to a shorter work week if neither side was worse off.

“As long as the required performance is delivered, most employers are pretty flexible,” he said.

“It begs the question about what is the work and how is the performance measured.

“We’re already seeing a lot of challenges in working from home and whether people are as productive in getting the work done at a required quality.”

Bill Lang says employers are not necessarily opposed to a shorter work week if neither side is worse off. Picture: Arsineh Houspian

Mr Lang said last Thursday’s national public holiday was an example of an idea that cost small businesses billions without providing benefits.

Shadow Treasurer David Davis questioned whether business groups had been consulted about the idea before it was floated.

“Have they just dreamt this up in the isolation of Daniel Andrews’ office tower?” he said.

“Having hit small business for six during Covid, they are barely giving them time to breathe before this potential king hit.

“Small businesses are trying to get up off the mat, they at least deserve to be asked.”

The draft policy platform has caused internal angst within Labor, with multiple unions outraged that they were not consulted as part of its creation.

Affiliated unions and other groups are usually involved in the process but the document was instead written by advisers in the premiers and ministerial offices.

Despite this, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas maintained it was “not a government document”.

“I am not aware of these issues,” she said.

“The development of our party platform is one that happens every election cycle.”

Internally, the government has told party members the people writing the platform were doing so as volunteers.