Court rules against cops who ‘did their own research’ on Covid jabs

Serving police officers who “did their own research” about Covid-19 vaccines and have refused to get the jab have had their case rejected by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, meaning they face suspension or termination if they don’t now comply.

Police officers who “did their own research” on the internet about the Covid-19 vaccine have had their case rejected by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission after they objected to a mandatory jab directive.

A group of around 60 police officers and civilian staff, who crowdfunded their legal action, took Commissioner Katarina Carroll to the QIRC to argue her vaccine direction was unlawful and had been done without consultation.

The decision by the QIRC means they face suspension or termination from the QPS if they don’t now comply.

Springsure police Senior Constable Luis Larrarte and Beenleigh prosecutor Sergeant Donna Cole were the only officers to file affidavits, arguing the Covid-19 vaccine was “experimental” and did not prevent someone from becoming infected or infecting others.

Ms Carroll issued a direction to all police officers and staff on September 7 that they must be vaccinated against Covid-19, giving a deadline of October 4 for the first dose and January 23 for the second dose.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Employees could apply for an exemption under medical or religious grounds, or because of “other exceptional circumstances”.

The Commissioner explained that the reason for the direction was to ensure the service remained “operationally ready” in the case of a major outbreak.

“Rapid transmission of Covid-19 through the QPS would take police officers and staff members out of service while they undertake quarantine periods or recover … in an extreme scenario, this could reduce the availability of police … and threaten the ability of the QPS to serve the community,” the direction states.

The judgment, delivered late yesterday, said Sen Const Larrarte had asked for an exemption but was denied.

“He swears that he intended to be vaccinated, but upon announcing to the person administering the vaccine that he did not consent, vaccination was refused,” the judgment said.

The judgment said Sen Const Larrarte included in his affidavit “various documents that he discovered” from researching vaccines on the internet.

“Those documents led Sen Const Larrarte to assert that vaccines were only provisionally referred for clinical use in Australia and were experimental,” the judgment said.

An affidavit was also filed by Sgt Cole, a senior prosecutor at Beenleigh.

“She, like Sen Const Larrarte, has done some research and she exhibited to her affidavit some of the documents she discovered,” the judgment said.

“Sgt Cole swore that she felt bullied and coerced into taking the vaccine against her will under threat of dismissal.”

Dr Andrew Redmond, a specialist physician in infectious diseases, gave evidence on behalf of the QPS.

He told the hearing that Covid-19 vaccines are “not experimental and have passed examination by licensing bodies … (and) are now in routine clinical use”.

“Dr Redmond opined that the vaccines do not remain part of a clinical trial. They have been approved and are registered for use,” the judgment said.

The judgment said much of the evidence provided by the two police officers, as well as a staff member, Janette Colebourne, was irrelevant to whether QPS had consulted with its staff and whether the direction was lawful.

The QIRC found the QPS had undertaken adequate consultation in the lead up to the direction being made and that it had detected no breach of the Work Health and Safety Act.

According to the latest numbers released by the QPS, 72 police officers and 37 staff have so far been suspended for non-compliance with the vaccine direction.

Two officers and three staff who were suspended have had their suspensions revoked after complying.