2026-09-11
Victorian Labor has spectacularly failed to pass its own gutted work-from-home (WFH) laws, leaving workers’ promised rights in limbo and raising serious doubts about whether they will ever become law.
After already delaying and hollowing its WFH commitment to appease CEOs, corporations and the property lobby, Labor today failed to manage the parliamentary numbers needed to pass its own legislation, with the laws instead sent to an inquiry and now unlikely to pass before the November election.
The Victorian Greens say Premier Ben Carroll must immediately commit to recalling Parliament to pass WFH rights before the election, and work constructively with the Greens to get the bill through instead of sabotaging the laws to appease bosses and corporations.
The Greens had been fighting to strengthen the legislation and restore the original September 2026 commencement date after Labor delayed and watered down the Bill after heavy lobbying from the Property Council, whose corporate members wanted to force workers back to the office so as not to lose rental income from offices in the city.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell MP:
“Workers were promised a right to work from home. Labor delayed it, gutted it and then completely botched getting it through Parliament.
“Labor has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Labor had the opportunity to pass a Bill, and through sheer political incompetence and kow-towing to big corporations, they’ve now left workers with nothing."
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens spokesperson for workers’ rights Aiv Puglielli MP:
“Workers have been promised these rights for months. They shouldn’t lose them because Labor can’t manage its own legislation through Parliament.
“Ben Carroll bent over backwards to make this bill acceptable to big business, but apparently forgot he also needed to get it through Parliament.
“Labor and the Liberals can keep pandering to CEOs and corporate lobbyists. The Greens are the party of workers, and we’ll keep fighting to make sure Victorian workers actually get the rights they were promised.”