Our worker vax mandate must go
CHAOTIC, contradictory and confusing. That phrase could be used to describe a cacophony of Gunner government stuff-ups.
But this one-trick-pony government is desperate to keep talking about Covid to distract from the crime, health and integrity crisis it has created.
The end of the Vaccine Pass means the only Covid restriction that remains is the mandate against unvaccinated workers and volunteers.
There must be an urgent review of the vaccine mandate and an explanation by the Chief Health Officer (CHO) to Territorians.
Quite literally, the only thing an unvaccinated person can’t do in the Territory is go to work or volunteer at the Glenti. The Covid contradictions continue.
The CLP supports the best health advice, but Territorians want to hear from the CHO why the mandate on workers and volunteers is still necessary given that Covid is moving from pandemic to endemic.
An unvaccinated person can come to the Territory, go to bars, eat at restaurants, take their kids to the park, watch a movie, and head to the footy – they just can’t go to work and earn a living to feed their family.
If Labor won’t let the CHO stump up and provide justification to keep the vaccine mandate, then it needs to be scrapped.
Territorians have watched on as South Australia and Queensland move to scrap mandates.
Unvaccinated teachers, taxi and ride share drivers, as well as public transport workers south of the border are all heading back to work. Why is the Territory’s “health advice” in stark contrast to what we’re seeing in other jurisdictions?
Even Labor’s Police Minister is confused by her own government’s rules. Nicole Manison was forced to apologise after breaching CHO directions by not wearing a mask after exiting quarantine – but is yet to even be fined $5000.
This is the minister who has forced police to fine everyday Territorians for the same offence.
Why should Territorians have to fork out, when the Police
Minister can’t even follow the rules and accept her punishment? Until she pays her fine, no Territorian or business should be fined. This is hypocrisy at its finest.
Territorians need to be really mindful of what is to come over the next two months.
Let me be very clear, the CLP does not support the Gunner government’s legislation to give the CHO all of the emergency powers – which includes seizure of property and entry without a warrant – for two more years.
Labor wants to cancel the state of emergency while bestowing all the power reserved within it to an unelected, unaccountable public official.
Critically, the CLP does not support dodgy moves by the Gunner government to remove the mandatory reporting by the CHO to parliament.
Even the courts have recently expressed the view that the emergency period is over.
If the CHO needs power to respond to Covid, then the Gunner government can stump up and justify extending the state of
Why is the Territory’s ‘health advice’ in stark contrast to what we’re seeing in other jurisdictions?
emergency. If it can’t do that, then the CHO’s powers need to end with the state of emergency.
The Chief Minister can’t have his cake and eat it too.
LIA FINOCCHIARO IS THE NT OPPOSITION LEADER