Should the government encourage people to work from home to save fuel?

"The Australian government has shown little appetite to adopt similar measures, despite Energy Minister Chris Bowen referring to remote work as 'a sensible thing to do'."

"Yet, even in this car obsessed culture, cycling rates went up during the pandemic, as did public transport use once fares were permanently reduced to 50 cents."

"Research in Queensland has repeatedly shown locals are attached to driving and road infrastructure, indicating that drastic measures can break entrenched habits."

The fuel crisis, driven by the Middle East war, has led various countries to implement remote work measures to conserve fuel. Asian nations have adopted work-from-home orders or four-day work weeks. In contrast, Australia has been hesitant to follow suit despite some support for remote work. Research indicates that mandated remote work can be beneficial, particularly in reducing car dependency. Past crises have shown that extreme conditions can alter transportation habits, as evidenced by increased cycling and public transport use during the pandemic.

Read at The Conversation