Business Lobby Groups Successfully Block Victoria's Right to Work From Home Bill

According to ABC News, the Victorian upper house on Thursday voted 18 to 17 in a narrow majority to refer Premier Ben Carroll government's right to work from home bill to a parliamentary committee for review, effectively dashing Labor's hopes of delivering on this election promise before the state election.

The motion to refer was moved by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party MP Jeff Bourman. Ahead of the vote, he said several employer associations had raised concerns about the "additional burden" and "extra bureaucratic process" the bill could bring, noting that "we are still coming out of the COVID pandemic period." Bourman argued "we are not trying to kill the bill," emphasising the government could choose to sit additional parliamentary sitting days.

What truly changed the dynamic was former Labor MP and now independent Adem Somyurek — who, after months of absence, returned to parliament and cast the crucial vote in favour of referral.

Business lobby groups quickly framed the outcome as a victory for reason. Property Council of Victoria executive director Kate Evans issued a statement saying "the Victorian Parliament has shown rationality," arguing that referring the bill to a committee for "thorough examination of its operation, impact and legal effectiveness" was "the only right course of action." She also used the opportunity to send a message to the government: parliament should have been "focused on the things that actually drive growth — building more homes, creating jobs, attracting investment and restoring confidence in Victoria."

Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black struck a more forceful tone: the referral should be "the final nail in the coffin for this economy-damaging legislation." He directly called on the Premier to abandon the right to work from home as an election commitment, claiming "the bill is unnecessary, it damages jobs, and it adds to business costs at the worst possible time."

Greens leader Ellen Sandell, by contrast, turned her fire on Labor itself: "Workers were promised the right to work from home. Labor delayed it, neutered it, and then completely botched getting it through parliament." She criticised Labor for "through sheer political incompetence and genuflection to big business, leaving workers with nothing," and called on the government to recall parliament.

At a press conference after the vote, Premier Carroll directed his anger at opposition leader Jess Wilson, declaring "what we have seen tonight is anti-family, anti-worker." But when asked whether he would recall parliament for an additional sitting week to push the legislation through, he firmly refused: "I have already added a week to the parliamentary sitting calendar."

The bill's fate reflects the asymmetric influence of business interests in legislative contests. The policy was originally announced in high-profile fashion by former premier Jacinta Allan at the 2025 Labor state conference, where she promised to enshrine the right to work from home in law before the 2026 election. However, after its release the policy was questioned by legal experts and faced sustained pressure from business groups. After taking over as premier, Carroll pushed back the law's commencement date by nearly a year and told ABC News that resetting the relationship with the business community was "one of his priorities."

Now the parliamentary committee review process will determine the bill's next steps. Under the existing schedule, parliamentary sittings have already concluded before the November election, and Carroll has made clear he will not recall parliament.