Victoria's work-from-home bill faces High Court challenge from business groups

A coalition of Victorian employer groups is preparing a High Court lawsuit to block a bill that would give most employees the right to work from home two days a week. Tim Piper, chair of the Victorian Congress of Employer Associations, said the legislation is both unconstitutional and unreasonable, and that many companies are ready to fund a legal challenge. Independent counsel for the Property Council of Victoria, Nick Wood and Leigh Howard, argued the proposal conflicts with the federal Fair Work Act, rendering it inoperative.

Premier Ben Carroll is seeking to pass the bill with amendments that broaden employer refusal grounds and tighten cost definitions, but critics such as Cath Evans and Peter Menegazzo claim it will scare investors away. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Jeff Bourman intends to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee, potentially delaying it beyond the upcoming state election. The dispute highlights tension between flexible-work policies and state-federal legislative authority.