Out of office: Melbourne CBD office occupancy rates falling fast

Melbourne’s office occupancy rates are going backwards faster than those in any other Australian city.

The Property Council of Australia’s latest Office Occupancy Survey in July found Melbourne’s occupancy dropped from 49 per cent to 38 per cent.

Sydney was down from 55 per cent to 52 per cent, while Brisbane office occupancies fell from 64 per cent to 53 per cent. Canberra and Perth were the only markets to record an increase in office occupancies.

Property Council Acting Victorian Executive Director Adina Cirson said “a perfect storm of factors” explains the fall in the number of Melburnians working in the office.

“We were making great progress. Our figures have been going up here in Melbourne since February,” she told Ross and Russel.

Ms Cirson says employers must focus on making offices places workers can “come to socalise, collaborate and work differently”.

Press PLAY below to hear what the Property Council thinks would bring people back