Retail Giant Executive Warns of Workplace Inequality
Incoming legislation in Victoria that aims to enshrine the right for employees to work from home two days a week is facing significant criticism from business leaders, who warn it could foster “structural inequity” within workplaces. The new laws, scheduled to take effect on September 1, are intended to provide a legal framework for remote work arrangements.
Despite assurances from Premier Jacinta Allan that the mandate would apply to full-time, part-time, and casual employees, the initial draft of the bill revealed that apprentices, graduates, and staff on probation would be excluded. This detail has amplified concerns among those in the business community.
Bunnings Executive Voices Concerns
Michael Schneider, managing director of retail giant Bunnings, has joined a growing chorus of opposition to the proposed legislation. He articulated concerns that the laws could inadvertently create disparities in the workforce.
“We’ve got a whole lot of teams who have to go to work to perform their duties – our store teams, our distribution teams, our manufacturing teams – and they do amazing work all the time,” Schneider stated. “But all of a sudden, we’ve got a situation where our support teams, under this proposed legislation, actually have a legal right to work from home a couple of days a week.”
Schneider emphasized his company’s ability to manage flexible work arrangements internally. “Our view is as a business, we understand the needs of our business, we understand the needs of our teams – we have no problem with our support team working from home, but we think we’re really well-equipped to manage that ourselves.” He added that individual business needs vary, and leaders are best positioned to address them.
He further questioned the necessity of legislative intervention. “For us, it seems to work perfectly well everywhere else in the country and I’m not sure why it needs to be different just because it’s Victoria. I think employers do want to offer flexibility – I haven’t spoken to a business leader that doesn’t think flexibility is a good thing – but does it need to be legislated?”
City Official Labels Laws a “Nightmare”
Melbourne’s Acting Lord Mayor, Roshena Campbell, also expressed strong disapproval of the legislation, deeming it a “bureaucratic and legal nightmare.”
“Not only is this state government legislation unnecessary, it creates a bureaucratic and legal nightmare for small businesses that are already doing it so tough,” Ms. Campbell said in a statement. She warned that the laws could pose a long-term threat to Victorian workers, suggesting that jobs performable in Victoria could be relocated offshore.
Government Cites Economic Benefits and Trends
Government proponents of the bill highlight potential economic advantages, claiming that working from home saves the average worker approximately $5308 annually. Premier Allan has pointed to current trends, noting that one-third of all workers and 60 percent of white-collar professionals regularly work remotely. The workforce participation rate is reportedly 4.4 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Figures from real estate firm CBRE indicate that office occupancy rates in Melbourne’s central business district exceeded 65 percent in early 2026, reaching their highest point since 2020.
Legislative Process and Requirements
The bill is currently under parliamentary debate and is expected to be enacted by September 1. Under the proposed laws, employees would submit a “work from home notice” to their employer, who would then have 21 days to respond. Employers will assess whether remote work negatively impacts productivity, employee training, or client relations.
Casual employees would need to demonstrate regular and consistent work patterns to be eligible. If an agreement for remote work is reached, businesses would be responsible for providing essential hardware, software, and secure access to company systems. Smaller businesses, those with fewer than 15 employees, will have an extended compliance deadline of July 1.
