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Jacinta Allan’s Latest Policy Further Alienates Victorian Business Community

Australian Financial Review

ENRICHED

Details

Date Published
24 July 2026
Priority Score
2
Australian
Yes
Created
27 July 2026, 04:00 am

Authors (1)

Description

A senior government source said Premier Jacinta Allan and her advisers have concluded that conflict with business wins them electoral support.

Summary

This article outlines the Victorian Labor government's proposed regulatory framework for biometric surveillance and artificial intelligence in the workplace. While the policy aims to address modern workplace concerns, it has drawn significant criticism from the business community for potentially entrenching anti-enterprise sentiment in the state. The focus remains primarily on labor rights and privacy rather than existential or catastrophic AI risks, though it reflects early-stage sub-national governance of AI technologies in Australia.

Body

PoliticsVictorian budgetPrint articleSumeyya IlanbeyVictorian political correspondentJul 24, 2026 – 6.35pmIn one of the oldest trade union buildings in the world, built long before the digital age, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan held a press conference to announce how a re-elected Labor government would deal with two very modern workplace concerns: biometric surveillance and artificial intelligence.In doing so, the state, which the Business Council of Australia has deemed the worst place in the country to run a business, entrenched its reputation as anti-enterprise.Loading...SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleRead MoreVictorian budgetVictorian electionVictorian ParliamentJacinta AllanAIWorking from homeBusiness Council of AustraliaFetching latest articles