Victorian bosses beg Dan Andrews to end working from home NOW

Fed up Victorian bosses have begged Premier Dan Andrews to cease working from home recommendations for thousands of workers based in and around the CBD.

A number of the city’s largest employers and state business leaders told a meeting with leading bureaucrats on Friday the city had ‘suffered enough’ dating back to 2020 – the start of the pandemic.

Many are adamant it is now time to follow the lead of NSW, who scrapped most of its remaining Covid restrictions on Thursday. 

Victoria’s top public servant, Department of Premier and Cabinet Secretary Jeremi Moule, met with the likes of NAB chief executive Ross McEwan and Australian Industry Group Victorian director Tim Piper in a bid to bring people back into the city in droves. 

Earlier on Friday, NAB chief executive McEwan said his CBD office is currently at three per cent capacity. 

‘I can go to a nightclub. I can actually now go dancing. I can go to school. I can go to the AFL. I can go to the tennis or to a bar or cafe. I can go to a club, but I can’t go to work,’ he said. 

Fed up Victorian bosses have begged Premier Dan Andrews to cease working from home recommendations for workers based in and around the CBD

Working from home has become the norm for many Melbourne based CBD workers in recent years during the pandemic (stock image) 

NAB chief executive McEwan on Friday said his CBD office is currently at three per cent capacity (pictured, a deserted Melbourne city centre recently on Bourke St)

‘I think this has got to change and quickly if we want to get the city going and we just need to say to people it’s OK to come back to your workplace.’  

Property Council Victorian head Danni Hunter also weighed into the discussion, believing the majority of workers should be encouraged to return to the city offices ‘at least’ a few days per week. 

She added it could be promoted as a normalised process and needed government support. 

Additionally, Treasurer Tim Pallas hopes Victoria’s remaining Covid restrictions, including indoor mask mandates and the work from home recommendation, will be eased within days. 

On Saturday, Victoria recorded 6280 new Covid-19 cases and 20 deaths. 

It followed some restrictions being eased on Friday evening at 6pm, freeing up pubs, clubs and entertainment venues to finally re-open dance floors and scrap density limits.

QR code check-ins at shops, schools and workplaces were also thrown out. 

Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged more changes, with the health minister Martin Foley to consider easing rules around masks and working from home.

Mr Andrews said that update could come as early as next week.

‘We always said these measures wouldn’t be in place for a minute longer than they are needed,’ he said.

‘With hospitalisation numbers decreasing and less pressure on our health system, now is a sensible time to make changes.’

Australian Industry Group Victorian director Tim Piper said it is absurd that nightclubs are now open across Victoria but many offices remains closed in the CBD due to a work from home recommendation from the government