NSW Premier Chris Minns takes shot at Victorian lockdowns in defending work-from-office mandate

The NSW Premier has taken the chance to taunt Victoria’s long pandemic lockdowns in defending a move to get workers back into offices.

The Victorian and NSW premiers are throwing pot shots over the mandate for NSW public servants to get back into the office five days a week.

“I’ve seen the Victorian government knock NSW for this change,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said on Tuesday.

“We think it’s important for the public service in NSW.

“And at the end of the day, frankly, with all of the lockdowns in Melbourne, I would have thought a lot of people in Victoria would be desperate to get out of the house, but that’s a matter for them.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns criticised the lengthy lockdowns in Victoria. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Melbourne was in lockdown for 262 days during six stints across the pandemic, marking the world’s longest lockdown due to Covid-19.

But the typical small businesses in Sydney and Melbourne’s CBDs that rely on foot traffic are struggling. Cafes, restaurants and convenience stores still report big dips in revenue as office workers have become accustomed to working from home and continue to do so well into 2024.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says public servants in her state will retain working-from-home arrangements. Picture: NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

On Monday, a NSW Premier’s Department memo to staff flagged a loss of mentorship and underutilisation of offices as reasons for the directive.

The directive is not absolutely mandatory, but public servants have been told they should work “principally” from their on-site workplace.

“On some occasions, NSW government sector work can productively be done from home,” the memo read.

One Victorian stylised then premier Dan Andrews as Kim Jong-un during this anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne in November 2021. Picture: NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

“However, that is not available to all (staff) in all circumstances and the opportunity to work from home should not be taken for granted or considered unlimited.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan took the chance a dangle a carrot to workers across the border.

“Any public servants from NSW who like flexibility in their workplace should consider moving to Victoria,” a spokesperson for the Premier said.

Victorian public servants are expected to work from the office at least three days a week.

But Ms Allan’s office said there were no plans to roll back the flexible working arrangements, citing higher female participation as one benefit.