Queensland Backs Hybrid Work as NSW Pushes Office Return

Six-year-old Leo and his mother Moira, an employee of a regional council, working from home in the village of Marsden, near Huddersfield, northern England on May 15, 2020. (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) are taking different paths on hybrid working arrangements, with Queensland confirming it will not force public servants to return to the office, while NSW ordering a minimum three-day office presence.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles champions flexible working arrangements for public servants, emphasising the state’s strong economy and recovery of public transport usage.

In contrast, NSW Premier Chris Minns advocates for a return to the office, highlighting the importance of teamwork, mentorship, and a unified public service culture.

This divergence was highlighted by the recent NSW government requirement for public service workers to be in the office at least three days a week.

The Premier’s Department Secretary, Simon Draper, told the media that Sydney employees who decided to relocate as a result of work-from-home arrangements may have to be flexible.

“If they’ve made their decision to relocate on the basis that the emergency arrangements that came in during COVID were going to last forever, they may have to make adjustments,” he said.

However, Miles expressed complete support for the hybrid model, confirming Queensland will not adopt the same route for those in public service work.

“I understand New South Wales is in a somewhat different position to Queensland,” he said.

“Our economy continues to be strong, our CBD has come back more strongly and, of course, as of this week, we’re starting to see public transport usage closer to those pre-COVID levels.”

Meanwhile, a Tourism and Transport Forum report into CBD visitation earlier this year showed Perth as the most recovered capital city for workers. Brisbane’s CBD only trails Melbourne and Sydney on weekend visitation while exceeding both on other metrics.

However, Frank Parry, President of the H.R. Nicholls Society, warned of the broader economic consequences of prolonged remote working.

“Public sector labour productivity is falling behind the private sector, leading to a drop in real wages and living standards for all Australians,” Parry told The Epoch Times.

“Working from home is only sustainable if output per hour is maintained or increased. Public servants must get back to the office in order to arrest Australia’s productivity decline.”

Remote Work Rises, But CEOs Expect Office Return

According to a leading job search engine, 37 percent of Australians worked from home at least once per week in 2023, compared to just 13 percent before the pandemic.

It also found that 45 percent of Australian workers are in a “hybrid” working arrangement, and 75 percent of remote workers felt that their well-being had improved due to flexible working.

The average Australian, the data suggests, would accept up to an eight percent pay cut in exchange for remote work options.

Additionally, remote working was found to save two hours per week in commute time and $906 in expenses. In 2024, 97 percent of organisations in Australia offer some form of flexible remote working.

It also found that 62 percent of employers believe that offering remote work improves their ability to attract and retain staff.

Interestingly, Google searches for the term “remote jobs” have increased by 342 percent over the last 5 years.

Despite these trends, a KPMG report from October 2023 revealed that two-thirds of CEOs expect most staff to be back in the office full-time in the next two to three years. The report surveyed over 1,300 CEOs worldwide.