Our Government is always claiming that decisions made by public services are operational matters. Now they want to directly interfere in operational matters and, more to the point, employment agreement matters.

In addition, I’m pretty sure that the working-from-home practice is established through customs and practice to be an accepted condition of employment. It was not stopped after the original reason, the Covid epidemic, was over and it was allowed to continue without stipulated end dates. Any changes need to be mutually agreed or a good-faith change process be followed. First, there has to be a genuine reason for that.

I think this dictatorial ministerial interference is likely to result in an employment relationship complaint or individual personal grievances. It could be a hornets’ nest.

Besides that, remember what an outcry about interference there was when Stuart Nash made a comment, not even a directive, to the police chief. He resigned as a result.

All MPs should get the equal treatment but, sadly, I think this is another that will glide past media attention.

Mary-Ann de Kort