Public servants must soon choose between working in the office or from home as they will no longer have access to remote working hubs set up in Melbourne's suburbs.
The $18 million suburban hub trial that started in February 2021 will end on June 30 because not enough people are using them.
Offices in Footscray, Dandenong, Essendon Fields, Mulgrave and Williams Landing were set up with monitors, meeting rooms, cables to connect devices and wifi.
They were never intended to replace primary office locations such as those in the CBD.
The five hubs contain more than 500 workstations in total and were only available to staff with approval from their manager.
The government has confirmed the hubs were launched as a trial during the pandemic and will not continue beyond the pilot.
It's understood they operated at 25 per cent capacity on average.
Users reported working from the hubs two days a week on a regular or casual basis on average, according to a 'frequently asked questions' document from March 2022.
The total cost of the trial was about $18.25 million according to a response prepared for parliament's Public Accounts and Estimates Committee.
When asked if the trial was a waste of taxpayer money, Premier Daniel Andrews said it was embarked upon during a period of disruption.
"Some investments are made and they're not necessarily enduring," he told reporters on Thursday.
"There are a lot of people who have got more workstations than they need at the moment.
"Many because so many people are working from home where that works for them and I don't think that as a trend is going to change."
When the hubs were first unveiled, Government Services Minister Danny Pearson said they would increase economic activity in the suburbs with more foot traffic and spending at local traders.
In the May budget it was revealed up to 4000 public service jobs are expected to be cut and the state's net debt is on track to hit $135.4 billion at the end of the next financial year.
Opposition spokesman David Davis said the suburban hubs were a fantasy.
"In the middle of a cost of living crisis, the Andrews government has wasted $18 million on a program it has nothing to show for," Mr Davis said.
The Community and Public Sector Union said the hubs were a failure because they did not provide as much flexibility as first promised.
"Previously if you were meant to work three days a week in the office, one day at a hub would be counted," a spokesman said.
"We were then told no if you work at a hub you still need to do the three in the office.
"Suffice to say the option wasn't taken up."
