A leading property executive has warned that pushing employees to work from home during Australia’s worsening fuel crisis could accelerate the replacement of workers with artificial intelligence. The warning comes after the International Energy Agency urged measures to curb oil demand, including remote work, greater use of public transport, and lower highway speed limits, noting that road transport accounts for a large share of global oil consumption.

The executive argued that encouraging remote work would prompt companies to further experiment with automation at a time when labour markets are already under strain from technological change and a slowing global economy. He said additional government intervention would be unproductive during a vulnerable economic period.

However, the Finance Sector Union has called on employers to suspend mandatory office attendance, citing rising fuel prices, higher living costs, and economic uncertainty linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The union said many finance employees had proven they could work effectively from home during the pandemic.

Fuel prices have surged following military action involving the United States and Israel and the closure of a key oil shipping route. The federal treasurer warned the economic fallout could rival previous global crises, stressing that the duration of the conflict will be critical to the strength of the recovery.