Billionaire politician and businessman Clive Palmer has offered to fund more cases following the success yesterday (27th February 2024) of a two-year action against the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Ambulance Service on behalf a group of emergency workers, who were stood down from their jobs for refusing to take COVID vaccines. “I’m happy to fund more cases” he said.
Palmer, was responsible for most of the funding for the action, suggested that the 86 people represented would take their grievances further “I can see there will be a class action against the government for those people” he said.
Queensland’s Supreme court found that COVID-19 vaccine mandates for Police and ambulance workers were unlawfully made. Emergency service workers were mandated to take COVID-19 vaccines and boosters or lose their jobs.
Police Commissioner Katrina Carroll, who has recently resigned, had “not considered whether the decision would be compatible with human rights” said Justice Glenn Martin. He said that a similar order by Former Department of Health director-general Dr John Wakefield was of “no effect”.
“They were made unlawfully or ineffectively. Non-compliance with these directions could have had life-changing consequences for an employee who declined to comply with the direction,” he said. Many of the people affected have been stood down from their positions with no pay for the past two years.
The Queensland ruling has provided a legal pathway for recourse for workers in other industries across Australia who lost their employment due to a COVID vaccine mandate, and those who suffered a vaccine injury as a result of taking the vaccine. “We have had a great victory for all Australians, especially those who were illegally coerced into taking the vaccine,” said Palmer.