Work from home legislation introduced into the Victorian Parliament today bears all the hallmarks of a “ready, fire, aim” approach by the State Government, according to Australian Industry Group.
The Victorian Head of Australian Industry Group, Tim Piper, said the proposed requirements will do nothing to improve employment prospects, will encourage other states to compete with Victoria, and add yet another reason for investors to look beyond Victoria.
“Premiers in other states are already rubbing their hands together. You can see and hear it,” he said.
“The legislation is unnecessary, burdensome and will create significant uncertainty for both employers and employees. It risks fuelling workplace disputes over eligibility, creating a divided workforce of ‘haves and have-nots’, and inundating the Equal Opportunity Commission with complaints, without delivering meaningful benefits to industry.
“Employers are already offering flexibility, but mandating work from home arrangements will cause both large and small businesses to reconsider their operations in Victoria compared to other states. We are already hearing this directly from industry.
“Even today, a large European company indicated this would influence its investment decisions within Australia. That is deeply concerning for the State’s economic outlook.
“The proposed Act is a recipe for disputes and subjective decision-making, and is difficult to justify from both an economic and industrial relations perspective. Unions are likely to use it as a platform to pursue further claims and entitlements.
“The only reasonable conclusion is that this legislation is politically motivated ahead of the next election, rather than designed to strengthen the Victorian economy or encourage investment. It runs counter to good governance and is not something the Labor Party can take pride in,” Mr Piper said.
