Labor has promised to help support Australians working from home (WFH), claiming that it costs the average office worker $5000 on travel costs alone.
On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared his support for WFH workers, stating to reporters that it had a “range of advantages”.
“One of those is less time travelling. It’s also enabled people to overcome the tyranny of distance in this great country,” he said.
“I’ve met people who have moved into regional Australia and are working in our capital cities, they’re working effectively because they can work online.”
Albanese defended WFH workers on Sunday. (Source: 9News)
The PM also mentioned WFH has had a large impact on working mothers, as well as referencing figures that suggested office workers could be spending $5000 on travel costs alone.
“It has increased workforce participation, particularly for women,” Albanese mentioned. “It makes an enormous difference, in terms of their hip pocket.”
Albanese’s comments come after the opposition criticised public servants for not working in the office more often.
Liberal senator and opposition finance spokesperson Jane Hume stated on March 5 in an address to the Menzies Research Centre that it’s expected “all members” of the Australian Public Service (APS) “work from the office five days a week” under a Peter Dutton government.
Hume spoke about a return to office policy under a Dutton government. (Image: ABC News)
“Exceptions can and will be made, of course,” Hume said.
“But they will be made where they work for everyone rather than be enforced on teams by an individual.
“This is common sense policy that will instill a culture that focuses on the dignity of serving the public, a service that relies on the public to fund it, and a service that respects that funding by ensuring they are as productive as possible.”
Opposition leader Dutton previously stated that he hoped to return to “pre-COVID levels”, a day after Hume’s comments.
“I think they should return to work back to pre-COVID levels, which was about just over 20 per cent of people who work from home,’’ Dutton said to media on March 6.
Albanese described these comments as “out of touch”.
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