Ex-Chief Medical Officer Issues Caution about Potential Wave of Lawsuits over Vaccine Mandates in Victoria
Following recent judgments by the Queensland Supreme Court, it has been ruled that COVID-19 vaccine mandates imposed on police and ambulance staff are unlawful.
Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth has issued a warning to the Victorian government regarding potential lawsuits after a court ruling deemed vaccine mandates on emergency services to be unlawful.
On Feb. 27, the Queensland Supreme Court made a ruling on a class action lawsuit against the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Ambulance Service concerning their compulsory COVID-19 vaccine requirements for employees between 2021 and 2022.
Although the judge acknowledged the reasonable nature of the mandates given the pandemic emergency, they found that the directives breached the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) and thus, were unlawful.
These rulings have caused ripple effects across the Australian public, sparking discussions about their implications.
In an interview with 9 News, Mr. Coatsworth mentioned that the rulings could potentially lead to other affected workers challenging the vaccine mandates.
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Mr. Coatsworth further commented that these rulings could prompt a reevaluation of decisions made by senior government officials during the pandemic.
He raised questions about whether Australian human rights were considered in those decisions and how they were balanced against human rights.
Looking ahead, he emphasized the importance of considering human rights in future decisions.
Simultaneously, Mr. Coatsworth highlighted the need for states like Victoria to be vigilant about potential lawsuits from the public following the Queensland Supreme Court’s ruling.
He noted that the existence of human rights acts is meant to protect people’s rights, and this should be upheld.
