Dutton changed his tune on forcing public servants back to the office – now it’s dumped entirely. Why?

Peter Dutton on Saturday said existing flexible work arrangements for Canberra-based public servants would remain unchanged, now the policy has been dumped entirely. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Coalition has made a major policy U-turn, dropping plans to force public servants back to the office if it wins the election and with Peter Dutton acknowledging the Coalition “made a mistake”.

The opposition leader told Nine’s Today Show on Monday he was “listening to what people have to say” and blamed Labor for implying that the policy would also apply to the private sector.