Property Council praises Queensland Government’s plan for 100 per cent of public servants to return to the city
The announcement:
The Property Council has today congratulated the Queensland Government on its move towards 100 per cent of public servants returning to their offices, welcoming the announcement as a much-needed injection of activity back in the city centre.
The Property Council’s office occupancy survey released last week revealed Brisbane’s CBD occupancy level had stagnated at just over 60 per cent in April, marking the fifth consecutive month of little movement in the return to workplaces.
Queensland Deputy Executive Director of the Property Council, Jen Williams, explained that while flexibility will continue to be a major feature of workplaces and there remains a small risk of future lockdowns, there is an overwhelming argument for the importance of getting workers back together and collaborating face-to-face.
“As a direct result of the state’s success in tackling the health pandemic and the relatively low level of restrictions remaining, Brisbane was an early mover in the return of workers to the CBD.
“In other parts of the world where employees have been forced to work from home for longer, businesses are desperate to get back to the office, as they have seen their productivity stagnate.
“With the likes of Google and Apple announcing major return to the office plans once the vaccine rollout allows, it is important that Brisbane makes the most of its first mover advantage and gets its teams back to together.
“Today’s announcement sends a clear signal to all workers in Brisbane that it is time to get back to the office and embrace the new ‘COVID-normal’.
“All businesses in the CBD are interrelated and largely reliant on office workers. From dry cleaners, to take away outlets, to electronic scooter companies, everyone relies on the consistent foot traffic that workers generate.
“This is why the Property Council is working with key stakeholders on a campaign to not only attract workers back into the office, but to ensure they make the most of what local retailers, cafes, restaurants, and bars have to offer.
“While today’s announcement sends a strong positive signal, there is still a long way to go until CBD activity levels return to ‘normal’. The Property Council is keen to work across all levels of government and industry to bring activity back to our city centre.”
Source: Queensland Property Council media release
