Nationals say Shooters bill to get public servants teleworking is just grand standing

SFF MP Roy Butler yesterday revealed plans to introduce the legislation to NSW parliament when it sits again next month.

He said the bill would require the state government to assess every public servant's role for suitability for teleworking - working online from home.

Mr Butler, a former public servant who won the seat of Barwon off the Nationals in 2019, said the massive coronavirus-driven exodus into teleworking is a huge opportunity to decentralise government departments and create employment in regional NSW.

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In a statement Mr Barilaro, who is the Minister for Regional NSW, said Roy Butler has not raised the proposed legislation with him once.

Asked if the government would consider voting for the bill or an amended version of it, he accused Mr Butler of "grand standing".

"The Shooters are only interested in political stunts and grand standing," he said.

"The NSW Government does not wait for parliament to return to do its job - that is why last month I announced another 400 jobs for regional NSW."

In June the state government announced the Department of Regional NSW would open four offices, each with 100 employees, around the state. One of them is earmarked for Armidale.

Asked on Friday if he thought the bill would win government support Mr Butler said he thought it was possible government would reject it then introduce their own version of the same bill.

"At the end of the day I'm after the outcomes. I'm not in this for personal glory, so I don't care whether they bring a bill or whether they support my bill," he said.

"As long as the outcome is that people in regional NSW have more opportunities, that's what I'm looking for."

Mr Butler said he'd written to every regional member from NSW. He said he'd even had a member of government ask if they wanted them to take it to their party room.

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