From day one, the Coalition Federal Government said we’d never mandate COVID-19 vaccines and we haven’t.
In health care, aged care, and disability care – those working with and supporting such vulnerable people should be up to date with their vaccines, that’s just common sense.
On December 17 the Qld Labor Government will mandate vaccines broadly across the community and will yet again draw parochial divisions in our community.
Our Constitution provides state governments with this power and is delivered, in most part, through public health orders. State governments under our Constitution are sovereign governments and the Federal Government does not have overarching powers, as some mistakenly believe.
It’s therefore important to recognise that Chief Health Officers and Premiers are the ones who are determining this, not the Federal Government.
There are clear delineations between state and federal powers which Australians – particularly those who live in Queensland – are starting to see. The Federal Government has shown leadership; we’ve put in place a National Plan for an 80% vaccination rate – we hit that 80%. Now we no longer need to use lockdowns as a measure, we should move freely but it’s the Qld Labor Government which is against progression.
The Qld Labor Government is burdening small business with the responsibility to ‘throw out’ unvaccinated patrons and forcing them to let-go staff who haven’t been vaccinated during an already prevalent staffing and skills shortage.
December 17 restrictions don’t meet the scientific advice provided under the National Plan and I encourage you to contact the Qld Premier as it’s her government which is making these decisions on the fate of our state.
You can contact the Qld Premier’s office via https://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/the-team/annastacia-palaszczuk.aspx#_contact or phone 3719 7000.
