Australian-first laws guaranteeing two days a week of remote work in Victoria have been thrown off course after the Victoria WFH bill was referred to an inquiry, a move that will likely push any vote beyond the November state election, according to MPs.
The proposal was unveiled in 2025 by then premier Jacinta Allan, seeking to harness public support after a federal Coalition plan to return public servants to offices full-time, which was seen as contributing to its electoral defeat.
The Victorian Coalition had indicated it would back the legislation and had expected it to clear parliament on Thursday.
In an unexpected shift, the Coalition sided with crossbenchers, including Legalise Cannabis, Libertarian MP David Limbrick, former Liberal MP Moira Deeming and One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, to send the measure to an inquiry, effectively shelving it until after voters go to the polls.
The referral, introduced by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Jeff Bourman, passed by 18 votes to 17.
What happens next for the Victoria WFH bill
The narrow vote means the upper house inquiry will examine the two-days-a-week right to work from home before any final decision is made, delaying the reform timetable and leaving its fate to the next parliament.
The proposal was unveiled in 2025 by then premier Jacinta Allan, seeking to harness public support after a federal Coalition plan to return public servants to offices full-time, which was seen as contributing to its electoral defeat.
In an unexpected shift, the Coalition sided with crossbenchers, including Legalise Cannabis, Libertarian MP David Limbrick, former Liberal MP Moira Deeming and One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, to send the measure to an inquiry, effectively shelving it until after voters go to the polls.