Backlash over Premier Mark McGowan’s “old fashioned” work views

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has an “old fashioned” opinion about work that has caused a stir.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has sparked a backlash after declaring his “old fashioned” preference for people to stop working from home now that the risk of Covid-19 has eased.

Mr McGowan denied he was opposed to flexible working arrangements.

“I’m a little bit old fashioned about people going into work. I mean police officers, construction workers, mining workers, teachers, nurses, journalists and lots of people out there go to work,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“It creates collegiality, it creates a culture that’s constructive, people work together to achieve outcomes.

“Everyone sitting in their kitchen on their laptops I don’t think generates that.”

Premier Mark McGowan described his views as old fashioned. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tony McDonough

Mr McGowan said people working in retail, restaurants and cafes were also disadvantaged if workers were not regularly going to the CBD.

“Sometimes there are requirements, you can negotiate it with your employer to work from home, sometimes you might work appropriately in individual circumstances,” he said.

“But across the board working from home I just don’t think it’s good for society and good for the community.”

Mr McGowan made similar comments during a radio interview, which prompted anger from some talkback callers.

It comes as the state government prepares to scrap its controversial state of emergency powers, which were introduced during the pandemic, in favour of new legislation.

The state of emergency has been in place since March 2020 and has given the government extraordinary powers to impose restrictions such as closing the border and enforcing mask mandates.

Mr McGowan said people working in retail, restaurants and cafes were disadvantaged if workers were not regularly going to the CBD. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tony McDonough

A new law with wound back powers will instead be rushed through parliament this week to avoid further renewing the state of emergency.

The power to impose legal directions will stay with the police commissioner, who will act on the advice of the chief health officer.

“It will allow us to enforce mask wearing in health facilities, in disability and aged care, (and) stay-at-home rules for people who are Covid positive as required,” Mr McGowan said.

“You won’t be able to close interstate borders, you won’t be able to put all that sort of stuff in place that stops people from coming in or the like, so it’s a step down from where we’ve been.

“A lot of people have been calling for this.”

Construction of WA’s quarantine centre in Bullsbrook, northeast of Perth, has also finally been completed at a cost of $400m, although it still does not have a use.

The state government is now installing furniture.

Construction of the quarantine centre in Bullsbrook has finally been completed at a cost of $400m. Picture: Multiplex

The facility includes accommodation blocks and a health centre, as well as kitchen, waste and laundry facilities.

Construction was paid for by the Commonwealth, while the state government will pay for the centre’s operation and maintenance for one year.

Serco has been contracted as the facility operator at a cost of $13m.

A proposal to use the facility for short-term accommodation for migrant workers appears to have been dumped.

“We consulted with industry groups. They really thought the location wasn’t right,” Mr McGowan said.

He said the idea of putting homeless people there also “wouldn’t work” but there was still the possibility of using it as a detention centre if needed, although that idea had not been suggested by the Commonwealth.

“The facility will be there for emergency purposes — if there’s a cyclone or flood or fire ... (and) it’s available if there’s another pandemic,” the Premier said.