There were around 185,000 public service employees as of 2024 according to the Australian Public Service Commission, which includes Australian Defence Force personnel and Australian Federal Police staff.

Can the government make public servants return to the office?

An employee of at least 12 months can have a right to request work from home arrangements if they:

• are a parent or carer of a child of school age or younger
• are a carer
• have a disability
• are at least 55 years of age
• are pregnant
• are experiencing family or domestic violence, or caring or supporting an immediate family or household member experiencing family or domestic violence.

Casual employees have similar rights if they have been working regularly and systematically for at least 12 months.

Should an employer refuse a request, there is an appeals process through the Fair Work Commission.

Stealing policies from the US, Labor senator says

“They allow women in particular [the chance] to manage some of the other responsibilities they have outside of the workplace.”

“This is just another clueless knee-jerk, Trumpian response from the Coalition that will drive women and those with caring responsibilities to reduce their participation in paid work and force them back into insecure low-paid jobs,” the senator said in a statement on Tuesday.

Albanese and Dutton trade blows

“What we need is Australian policy for Australian conditions, because we are unashamedly the best country on Earth and we don’t need to borrow from anyone else.”

“I’m not wasting taxpayer money like Anthony Albanese does.”