The message was simple and effective: the premier was on your side. Allan was standing up to the corporate behemoths \u2013 and their buddies in parliament \u2013 who wanted you back at your desk, five days a week.<\/p>\n
But just when the bill was about to pass this week, the new premier, Ben Carroll<\/a>, muddled the message.<\/p>\n After the shadow attorney general, James Newbury, told reporters the Coalition would not stand in the bill\u2019s way and they \u201csupport people\u2019s right to work from home\u201d (subject to a few amendments), Carroll said debate on the legislation would be delayed.<\/p>\n Not only that, he said the earliest the laws would commence would be next July \u2013 10 months later than originally planned and more than six months after the November state election.<\/p>\n It followed an 11th-hour media blitz by the country\u2019s largest business lobby groups, including a press conference with nine speakers, featuring warnings that unemployment would rise and companies may relocate.<\/p>\n \u201cI spoke to a member this morning who said to me, \u2018working from home could also be working from the Philippines\u2019,\u201d said Tim Piper, from the Australian Industry Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n Carroll said he had spoken to both Piper and Sally Curtain, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive, on Tuesday morning to confirm the delay. He described it as part of his \u201creset with the business community\u201d and a signal that Victoria<\/a> was \u201copen for business\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to be very clear \u2013 I support work from home. I support flexible work. It is good for working families,\u201d he said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEqually, though \u2026 everyone knows it\u2019s a partnership between working families and the business community and the government.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is why I\u2019ve delayed these changes, and it\u2019s why I\u2019m going to continue to work with the business community on making sure this policy is right.\u201d<\/p>\n Carroll took a handful of questions on the matter before ending his press conference.<\/p>\n He had earlier signalled that he wanted to make \u201csensible changes\u201d to the legislation, including about home-office equipment and other costs, rather than delaying it in its entirety.<\/p>\n Allan had promised Victorians the right to work from home would be in place by 1 September. Carroll has now pushed that promise into the next parliament \u2013 if Labor is even in government to ensure it happens.<\/p>\n It\u2019s giving the opposition a free kick: it can position itself as a supporter of work from home while accusing the government of breaking its promise. And it was quick to do so, with Newbury saying Carroll\u2019s comments today have \u201cproven that he cannot be trusted\u201d.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a>Free newsletter | When needed<\/p>\n Sign up to Breaking News Australia<\/p>\n Get the most important news as it breaks<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n \u201cHis government made a guarantee that these laws would be in place on 1 September, a guarantee he has broken. Victorians cannot trust this premier or his Labor government,\u201d Newbury said.<\/p>\n Labor MPs are mixed on the delay.<\/p>\n One said it is simply tactical, made to give Carroll\u2019s staff \u2013 many just switching over to the new office \u2013 the time to work on their own amendments rather than being forced to support the opposition\u2019s.<\/p>\n Another said it was \u201csensible\u201d and accused Allan of refusing to consult industry on \u201ceven the smallest, most reasonable of reforms\u201d.<\/p>\n Others varyingly described the policy as \u201chalf-cooked\u201d or \u201cpolitical gold\u201d. It continues to poll well, most said, though it is not voters\u2019 priority.<\/p>\n All, though, stress that debate will still go ahead.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2998.jpg\")
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