On 14 February 2024, I spoke about the impact the Greens’ right to disconnect will have for workers. 

The Greens have successfully fought for the right to disconnect—for workers to knock off when they clock off and enjoy time with their friends and family, uninterrupted by unreasonable calls and messages from work.

With the rapid increase in mobile device use over the past two decades, the boundaries between work and the rest of our lives have blurred. It's a problem that's been particularly exacerbated since the pandemic.

No-one should feel they need to be available to their boss 24/7.

When workers aren't able to find time for themselves and those they care for outside of work, it impacts their physical and mental health and relationships with others.

The debate that has engulfed the media in the past week has been inflamed by absurd and untruthful statements from employer groups and conservative politicians trying to paint vital workplace reforms as disastrous for business.

The right to disconnect has not come out of the blue as the opposition leader claims.

The Greens introduced a private member's bill in March last year to make changes to the Fair Work Act. It is grounded in research and based on agreements that are already in place in many Australian workplaces. It's been law in France since 2016 and has been taken up by many countries since then.

It is a simple and straightforward right. The right to disconnect will make sure people have access to time with their family and friends. It is not going to destroy the economy as these flops claim.

If the Coalition want to go around promoting an economy based on unpaid labour and social isolation, good luck to them.