Australian news and politics recap April 7: Dutton hopes turning to cost of petrol will fuel path to victory

Mr Albanese says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is “now pretending” that his WFH program won’t proceed.

“He said very clearly that women should just go and job share, that they shouldn’t worry about working full time.

“Of course, work from home was one of the changes that we (Labor) made to industrial relations, along with same job same pay, along with proper definition of casualisation, along with the right to disconnect.

“All of these changes have been opposed by Peter Dutton.

“Today, he is pretending that the policies that he announced, including in the budget reply that was two weeks ago, including the cuts to 41,000 public servants, just don’t exist.

“(He is pretending) everyone will just forget about all that, ‘this is a new Peter Dutton who has discovered work rights’.

“Well, if people want to protect their work rights, they need to vote for Labor.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stood at Sunshine Station in Melbourne, giving his commitment for the airport train link, launching an attack on the “out of touch” Coalition.

“They are simply not up to delivering the infrastructure that Victorians need,” Mr Albanese said.

“Well, my Government will do that. My Government will partner with the Allan government to deliver for Victorians.

“That’s what this $7 billion commitment is about, because unless you fix Sunshine Rail, you can’t do the airport rail link.

“It just says it all about the Coalition, who during this campaign have shown that they are just not fit for Government.”

The Prime Minister will visit Sunshine Train Station in the electorate of Fraser, where he will meet with Victorian premier Jacinta Allan and local federal member Daniel Mulino and his state counterpart Natalie Suleyman.

The PM in February announced a re-elected Albanese Labor Government will invest $2 billion to transform Sunshine Station.

The station is a key part of the Melbourne Airport Rail and the Suburban Rail Loop.

Labor have already invested $7 billion towards the Melbourne airport rail project, including $5 billion for the delivery of the rail link between Sunshine and the Airport.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton was last week in Melbourne to make an airport rail announcement of his own and slash the Suburban Rail Loop, but was criticised for culling funding from the station.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s reversal on work-from-home policies for public service workers, arguing it reflects broader instability in his leadership.

The Coalition initially pledged to require all federal public servants to return to the office five days a week, citing productivity concerns. However, after significant backlash, the policy has been abandoned.

Ms Plibersek said “it shows that Peter Dutton is loose and he makes it up as he goes along. That’s the last thing you want in a leader at a time when we’ve got global uncertainty, speaking on Sunrise.

“He’s changed his policies on public service and working from home, but probably the biggest backflip is when his Health Minister cuts Medicare, he says there’s too many bulk-billed visits to doctors, wants to push up the price of medicines.

“Now he expects people to believe he’s had a change of heart and he’s a true believer on Medicare. No-one’s buying it.

“He looks loose and he’s making it up as it goes along. I don’t think anybody wants that in a Prime Minister.”

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has defended Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s back flip on his WFH policy, after he changed his mind on mandating five days in the office for publc service workers.

“I think the sensible thing, if it’s not working, is to change,” Mr Joyce said on Sunrise on Monday.

“That’s what people want to see in a leader. Not that they’re obstinately sticking to something. Obviously there was people pretty upset. Vicky (my wife) was pretty upset, because she works from home.

“The sin would’ve been to stick with it and say no, I’m too proud, I’m not gonna change.

“You want to have people who listen to what’s happening out there and go OK, I get it, as opposed to what the Labor Party is doing with power, where they just ignore them.”

Peter Dutton thought ending work from home for public servants would be a home run, but the Liberal leader is baulking now the policy appears to be striking out.

Labor senses its chance for a grand slam.

Backlash to policies resembling those favoured by Donald Trump and polling showing strong support for work from home have seemingly unnerved the coalition.

“Peter Dutton’s personal satisfaction ratings have sunk like a stone to his lowest ever in YouGov’s public data poll since he tied himself to Trump-style policies of banning work from home and sacking 40,000 public sector workers,” said YouGov’s Paul Smith.

The measure also risks exposing a key vulnerability by turning off female voters.

Labor contends flexible work arrangements particularly benefit women who can take on more work while being able to look after children at home.

The share of women working full-time has increased from 54 per cent to 58 per cent as work-from-home arrangements have become more common since COVID-19, Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows.

This may also be due in part to increased public spending in traditionally female-dominated industries like health and child care, but studies have shown working from home has reduced the gender pay gap.

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