Australian Oppn abandons poll promise to ban WFH, cut 41,000 bureaucracy jobs

Canberra, April 7 (IANS) Australia's Opposition party has abandoned its plan to end work-from-home (WFH) arrangements for public servants and cut 41,000 bureaucracy jobs, in a major policy reversal ahead of the general election.

Peter Dutton, leader of the Opposition coalition, announced the policy shift on Monday, admitting the party "made a mistake" and "got it wrong" with the plan that had proved unpopular with voters.

He said that a coalition government will not change current flexible working arrangements, including work-from-home policies, for federal public servants.

Instead of cutting 41,000 public service jobs to reduce government spending, Dutton said that a coalition government would reduce the public service workforce over five years through hiring freezes and not always replacing workers who retire or resign.

The governing Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, had repeatedly described Dutton's plan to cut the public service workforce as "Trumpian" and warned it could leave welfare recipients and veterans waiting several months for payments to be processed.

Albanese said on Monday that the ability to work from home was beneficial for Australian families, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Many parents work full-time, while making time for family. And with cost-of-living pressures, many families can't afford it any other way," he said.

"Peter Dutton and the coalition want to end that flexibility, and it would have real consequences for Australian families."

Dutton's move to abandon the policy came after a major opinion poll published on Sunday night found that Labour is on track to win a second term in power in the May 3 election.

According to the Newspoll survey published by News Corp Australia newspapers, Labour now leads the coalition 52-48 on a two-party preferred basis.

If neither Labour nor the coalition win 76 seats in their own right at the election -- an eventuality known as a 'hung Parliament' -- both parties will enter negotiations with minor parties and Independents for their support to form a minority government.

--IANS

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