Updated September 10, 2026 — 6:21pm,first published 4:53pmThe right to work from home has been elevated to a frontline state election issue after the Coalition and crossbench MPs teamed up to block the government’s long-promised laws.The legislation has now been deferred to a parliamentary committee, meaning the government has run out of sitting days to deliver a key plank of its legislative agenda.Labor’s work-from-home laws are in limbo after a last-minute move by the opposition and crossbench to refer the bill to an inquiry. Eddie JimThe eleventh-hour manoeuvre, which was supported by most non-government MPs, prompted Premier Ben Carroll to unleash on the Liberal Party, calling it “anti-worker” and “anti-family”. But Carroll also appeared unwilling to recall parliament before the caretaker period to give the legislation a final chance to pass into law.On Thursday afternoon, upper house MPs voted 18-17 to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee, which will examine the policy and deliver a report on it by October 20 – after the parliament’s final sitting day of the term.The amendment was initiated by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Jeff Bourman, who said he supported the principle of remote work, but added: “I’m not convinced yet that it should be a right.”Bourman said that referring the bill to a committee would provide a “short, sharp inquiry” and allow for a more in-depth look at the policy, including its potentially adverse impact on business and the economy.“Though there’s not a large amount of time, the review is designed so there is an ability for the bill to be delivered and there still be the possibility of a sitting day before we hit caretaker mode,” Bourman told parliament.Bourman’s amendment was supported by the Coalition, which had backed working from home and decided not to oppose the substantive bill despite the concerns of business leaders. Bourman was also supported by One Nation’s sole MP, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell, Libertarian David Limbrick, both Legalise Cannabis MPs and former Labor minister Adem Somyurek.Labor and Greens MPs voted against the amendment, while Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell abstained.Carroll refused to rule out recalling parliament to pass the bill, but said he had already added a sitting week to deliver Labor’s integrity reforms.“It [work from home] was always designed to be going through this week,” he said.Carroll accused the Coalition of pretending to support the right to work from home before supporting the inquiry and banishing it to legislative limbo.“Sneakily, at five minutes to midnight, she’s voted it down with the One Nation party, and that’s for her to answer to every single Victorian tonight,” he said, referring to Opposition Leader Jess Wilson.“If you needed any more proof that the Liberal Party are anti-worker, look what they did right now to working women, to working families that work hard every day and just want the right to work from home.” Before the upper house vote on Thursday, shadow attorney-general James Newbury said the Coalition would not oppose the legislation, and he suspected it would pass later that day. But he also said the opposition supported further scrutiny of the bill.“We believe that the business community specifically hasn’t had enough time to fully think through the legislation, so it’s only reasonable that a very purposeful committee have the time to look at it further because we think there are a number of other issues that may come up throughout that process,” he said.Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell called for parliament to be recalled to pass the legislation before the election.“Workers were promised a right to work from home. Labor delayed it, gutted it and then completely botched getting it through parliament,” Sandell said.“Labor has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Labor had the opportunity to pass a bill, and through sheer political incompetence and kowtowing to big corporations, they’ve now left workers with nothing.“Purcell said the government’s decision to circulate its amendments to crossbenchers at 5pm on Wednesday was a reason she abstained.“The changes were substantial, and the reality is that we weren’t given enough time to give these amendments the consideration they deserve,” she said.“While I understand the business sector’s concerns, I also represent a regional community that regularly has to commute into Melbourne. I fundamentally support the right to work from home and the benefit it brings to the lives of so many.“Because of these competing factors, and how badly the government has handled this legislation, it was impossible for me to feel comfortable voting for or against the inquiry and I abstained from the vote.”Somyurek, who left the Labor Party after a branch-stacking scandal and rarely attends parliament to vote, was a surprise spoiler for the government. He hinted at his role in supporting the inquiry in a post on X on Wednesday night that called the bill a “post-materialist experiment” cooked up by the government’s socialist left.Ex-Labor minister Adem Somyurek made a rare appearance in parliament to help derail the government’s work-from-home legislation.Paul JeffersThe business lobby celebrated the inquiry, having argued the law would send investment and jobs to other states. Employer groups have been threatening to launch a High Court challenge against the legislation, should it pass, on the basis it is unconstitutional.The Property Council’s Victorian executive director, Cath Evans, said the inquiry would put the bill’s operation, implications and constitutionality under a microscope.“This decision should be the clearest signal: the Victorian government needs to be focused on the things that will actually drive growth – building more homes, creating jobs, attracting investment and restoring confidence in the state,” she said.Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said this should serve as the “final nail in the coffin for this economy-wrecking legislation”. “The government must do the right thing by Victorians and let this legislation go now.”Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.From our partners