Victoria’s proposed work-from-home legislation has been pushed into parliamentary limbo after the Legislative Council voted to send the bill to a select committee, creating the prospect that Labor’s promised two-day entitlement may never become law before the November election.
The motion, moved by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Jeff Bourman, was carried on Thursday after support from the Coalition and other crossbench members. The committee has been instructed to report by October 20, with further debate deferred until its findings are presented. ([legislation.vic.gov.au](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/bills/equal-opportunity-amendment-work-home-bill-2026))
The bill, introduced by former premier Jacinta Allan and passed by the Legislative Assembly in July, would give eligible Victorian employees a statutory right to work from home for up to two days a week where their role could reasonably be performed remotely.
Its passage through the upper house had already become uncertain after Premier Ben Carroll delayed the proposed start date from September 1 this year until July 1, 2027. Mr Carroll said the extra time was needed for consultation with business and possible amendments, while insisting the legislation would still pass before the state election. ([abc.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-11/vic-work-from-home-delayed/107023236))
The parliamentary delay now places that commitment under severe pressure. Victoria’s next election will be held on November 28, leaving only a short window for the committee to report, the bill to return to the chamber and the government to secure enough support for it to pass.
Unless that process is completed before the current parliamentary term ends, the bill risks expiring with other unresolved legislation. That would leave employees relying on existing workplace arrangements and federal employment law rather than the new protection promised by Labor.
The vote is an embarrassing setback for the Carroll government, which had sought to preserve the policy while softening its most contentious features. Business groups have argued that the proposal is unnecessary and would impose additional costs and obligations on employers, while the opposition has supported the principle of working from home but sought amendments to delay and narrow its operation.
Mr Carroll’s government had previously announced that the scheme would be written into Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Act, with disputes referred first to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and then, if unresolved, to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. ([premier.vic.gov.au](https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/work-home-protected-law-1-september?utm_source=openai))
The immediate political consequences may be more significant than the legislation itself. Working from home is widely supported among employees, making it a useful dividing line for Labor against the Liberal opposition led by Jess Wilson, which has been drawn into a dispute over whether the right should be protected in law.
For Labor, the issue offers a way to portray the Liberals as hostile to flexible work and the needs of working families. For the opposition, the government’s inability to pass its own flagship policy provides an opportunity to argue that the scheme was poorly designed and politically driven.
Mr Carroll has publicly expressed disappointment at the upper house decision. But the referral also gives the premier more time to negotiate with business and to present the Liberals with responsibility for a bill that could now remain unresolved until voters go to the polls.
