On 2 September 2022, the Chief Health Officer Public Health Direction mandating COVID-19 vaccination requirements for workers in health care settings was revoked in the state of Queensland. The announcement was made the day before by the Minister for Health, the Honourable Yvette D’Ath.
Whether this had anything to do with the CHO and his legal team being presented, in the preceding fortnight, with affidavits from our group of doctors as well as 6 expert witness testimonies full of data, is speculation. “Correlation does not mean causation!” as is often said these days.
However, the complete revocation of the CHO Public Health Direction mandate has not relieved restrictions and mandates on a vast number of health professionals in Queensland. The Hospital Employment Directive (HED) 12/21 of Qld Health from 30 September 2021 remains in effect and the mandate means unvaccinated staff cannot resume or reapply for their public health jobs. It also means that thousands of staff who are not ‘up to date’ with their boosters are in breach as well.
Additionally, Qld government wording encourages all health professionals to get their gene-based vaccines and boosters and in the health minister’s press release “now is the right time to transition responsibilities for managing the vaccination requirements of workers in private hospitals, primary care and private allied health to those employers.” So far it appears that several private health employers are continuing mandates and excluding staff who believe risk/benefit analysis means they cannot give informed consent. A vaccine mandate still applies for working in aged care facilities and with disabled people on the NDIS.
Therefore, after discussion with our legal team, we are resolved to commence a new legal action to overturn Qld Health’s HED 12/21, which would allow the evidence to be presented to a judge in court, and if we are successful, set a strong legal precedent for Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Let the medical evidence see the light of day in the Supreme Court. Onward we go!