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In an effort to secure petrol supplies and manage costs, Australia’s energy minister, Chris Bowen, has proposed that financially stretched Australians consider remote work as a way to reduce commuting expenses.
During his appearance on ABC Insiders, Bowen remarked, “In any situation, this seems like a practical approach.”
He further noted that working from home has seamlessly integrated into the Australian work culture.
Nonetheless, Bowen acknowledged that remote work isn’t feasible for everyone and pointed out that the suggestion wasn’t specifically designed for Australian circumstances.
“There are individuals for whom this isn’t an option,” Bowen admitted, “and I’m sure people are already exploring ways to cut down on their fuel consumption. For some, it’s considerably more challenging.”
“I don’t think a one-size-fits-all approach is necessary and that IEA report is a smorgasbord of options for all countries around the world to look at in terms of their own personal circumstances.”
Bowen’s comments have been criticised by deputy opposition leader Jane Hume, who claims he is deflecting from failing to secure Australia’s fuel supply.
This is despite Bowen saying only six of Australia’s 81 oil shipments have been cancelled since the start of the conflict, and that the country has over a month’s worth of fuel supply in both petrol and diesel.
“Chris Bowen is saying, ‘it’s okay, everyone can work from home, [but] it doesn’t work that way,” she said on Today.
“That isn’t going to be enough to solve the supply chain crisis.”
Bowen’s comments were also met with scepticism by NSW Premier Chris Minns, who claimed the impact on fuel prices and supply would be “negligible”, at least in his state.
“When it comes to the New South Wales public service, our advice is that it wouldn’t make much of a difference in terms of demand, mainly because 85% of our public servants work at the coalface,” he claimed.
“They’re not working from home. It’s not possible. Most of our employees are nurses, paramedics, police officers and firefighters.
“We just can’t issue that order.”
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