A state government could be awarded millions after a court ruled its Covid vaccine mandates were “ineffective” and “illegal”, with a controversial billionaire set to back further legal action by those sacked for refusing the jabs .
Despite the Queensland government choosing not to appeal the landmark Supreme Court decision against imposing vaccination mandates, health agencies have not taken steps to automatically return laid-off staff back to their jobs or offer compensation.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer, who contributed $3 million to help win the Supreme Court case brought against the government by a union of nurses and 74 police officers, has said he would consider backing class actions to recover costs and get justice.
Queensland Health has reconfirmed that any staff who have lost their job following the mandate can re-apply for their position.
Queensland government could be awarded millions after court ruled Covid vaccine mandates for employees were illegal (Townsville nurse to receive vaccine in 2021)
“Anyone who left Queensland Health and QAS because they did not want to receive the Covid-19 vaccine can re-apply for positions with the organisation,” a spokesperson said.
Although the department confirmed he mail that would not appeal the Supreme Court’s decision, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said she had not been informed of any decision on compensation.
“I have not been informed of any decision regarding compensation, following the CEO’s decision today not to appeal,” he said.
The Nurses Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ) said nurses are still being blacklisted despite public agencies saying they can apply for their old jobs.
‘Despite all the promises from Health Minister Shannon Fentiman and her CEO that they would love to see nurses come back and save lives in a health crisis, her department still refuses to rehire laid-off nurses. said NPAQ Secretary Kara Thomas.
‘After the promises, a nurse informed us that due to her disciplinary action they could not offer her a position.
‘In the same week, another nurse who remained suspended received a letter from the department saying she might have the right skills and experience and to please apply, only to then receive a letter threatening dismissal.
“The left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.”
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has said he could back new legal action against the Queensland government’s Covid vaccine mandates.
Ella King, a registered nurse for seven years, is among those threatening legal action against the state government for being sacked after Queensland abandoned vaccine mandates for new staff.
Leach said that by laying off more than 1,200 nurses in similar positions, the state government is “just trying to make a point” amid a shortage of healthcare workers.
“Laying off experienced nurses in a critical workforce shortage after keeping them in limbo for over two years, which by all appearances appears to be a power play… I don’t think, passes the pub test,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘This is not about me. These are thousands of healthcare workers who are prevented from practicing their profession.’
He told the Courier-Mail that he decided not to get vaccinated after observing that his colleagues reacted very badly to the injections.
Her employer, Queensland Children’s Health, even introduced special sick leave after vaccination, Leach said.
Registered nurse Ella Leach was fired while pregnant for refusing to take the Covid vaccine under Queensland public employee mandates.
It comes after the Supreme Court last month. found that then-Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll did not give due consideration to human rights relevant to the decision to issue the vaccine mandate.
Former Department of Health CEO Dr. John Wakefield also failed to prove that he issued the vaccination mandate under a term implied in employment agreements for ambulance service workers.
As a result, the court found both vaccination mandates “illegal” and of no effect.
The court also found that the instructions limited the workers’ human rights because they had to undergo a medical procedure without full consent, but were reasonable in all the circumstances.
The court ruling is expected to pave the way for thousands of other laid-off workers to face court over human rights violations.
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