Sally-Ann John and other emergency workers failed to get jobs back after Covid vax stance
A spate of emergency workers who refused the Covid vaccine tried to get their dismissal from the force reviewed. See who they are and why they didn’t want the jab.
Police & Courts
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An anti-vax paramedic who called the police “f***ing pigs” and made false claims about the Covid vaccine on a Tiktok livestream has failed in her bid to get her job back.
Sally-Ann John, who called herself “Ambo Sal” online, was sacked by NSW Ambulance after she attended an anti-lockdown rally in Sydney’s George St on July 24, 2021.
She is one of a spate of former emergency services staff who lost their jobs during the pandemic, some who did so after they refused to get the Covid vaccine.
During her TikTok livestream, Ms John claimed the Covid jab “is not even a vaccine” and called critics “sheep who like to lap it up”.
“Of course the police have turned this peaceful protest into shit. As usual its always the f***ing cops that do this. Always turn something peaceful into something it shouldn’t be. F****g pigs,” she ranted during the protest.
NSW Ambulance received complaints from the public and Ms John’s own colleagues who were appalled she would breach restrictions and spread disinformation.
When TikTok users pointed out her role as a paramedic the 53-year-old replied: “F*** you and your comments on here...And regardless of what job I have, I still am able to think about things. I still have an opinion and a thought.”
Hours after the protest, Ms John called her supervisor and said she’d “f***ed up”.
She was suspended within days and an investigation launched, with seven allegations of misconduct eventually made against her.
An NSW Industrial Relations Commission Judgement said she “admitted to the allegations and did not dispute that it was her voice on the recordings or the words attributed to her. She expressed contrition and remorse.”
Six out of the allegations were substantiated and in Match this year she sacked, ending an 18 year career. Ms John appealed the decision and argued her sacking was “harsh, unreasonable or unjust”.
In her appeal submissions, she said: “I make no excuses for my unacceptable conduct, however, note that these are several factors which clouded my judgment and contributed towards my decision to attend the protest.
“Overarchingly, I am very ashamed of my conduct on 24th July 2021. It was out of character for me to behave in such an inappropriate manner,” Ms John said.
Commissioner Damian Sloan said her reason for being at the protest “do not explain her decision to livestream the event, much less the damaging and offensive commentary which she offered to accompany it”.
“She can be heard calling into question not only the efficacy but the legitimacy of Covid vaccines. She accepted under cross-examination that these comments were made after she had been identified as a paramedic. Her response that she had stopped talking a few minutes later is simply not good enough,” he said.
The Commissioner said he was “prepared to infer’ her language about police might “make it difficult for police officers to feel comfortable working with her” and rejected her appeal.
NSW this week announced vaccine mandates for cruise ship passengers as the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee downgraded managing Covid-19 on cruise ships to bring measures in line with other communicable diseases.
Mandates have also been largely removed by Australian states and territories but individual workplaces - including police forces, hospital, aged care and schools - still insist staff are vaccinated under their own health and safety guidelines.
EMERGENCY SERVICES STAFF WHO FAILED TO GET THEIR DISMISSAL REVIEWED
Leith Sabri dismissed as a registered nurse from Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.
At the time of his dismissal he was an ICU nurse who failed to get the mandatory Covid vaccination. In response to a show cause letter, he asked to be shown safety information about the vaccine.
Michael Allen Ford dismissed from NSW Police
Senior Constable Ford asked for an exemption from the mandate because of the concerns of himself and his wife about any impact on his fertility, which was based on his wife’s GP who couldn’t provide an assurance.
He asked to be placed on leave until an alternative vaccine was developed, but that was rejected by police.
Luke Favre dismissed from NSW Police
Mr Favre made an application to be exempted from the Covid jab, but it was declined by police. After his dismissal, he argued in court the mandate was unlawful and unreasonable, which was rejected by the court and his appeal dismissed.
Robyn Anne Bowes dismissed from NSW Police
Ms Bowes was Detective Senior Constable and asked for a temporary exemption from the Commissioner’s Directive based on fertility treatment she intended to undergo.
It was granted until the end of 2021 but Ms Bowes went on sick leave, and did not return to work before she was dismissed in April 2022.
In court, she conceded she never had fertility treatment, and no medical advice was given to her suggesting it was unsafe to receive a Covid vaccine whilst undertaking the treatment.
Mark Baldwin Welch dismissed from NSW Police.
In October 2021, Sergeant Welch asked to be placed on extended leave at half pay, a few days after the force told staff they needed to be vaccinated.
‘However, I have not and will not be getting any kind of experimental vaccine/ gene therapy injection which is subject only to emergency approval, is in stage 3 clinical trials which are not due to conclude for a number of years,” he told NSW Police in an email.
Phillip Matta dismissed from NSW Police
Senior Constable Matta supplied police with a doctor’s letter stating he was getting advice about “significant family cardiovascular history”. He was granted a temporary exemption until December 2021 - in March 2022 police took action after he was still not vaccinated.
His appeal heard he put forward no evidence of any family medical history.
Jamila Lamarre-Condon dismissed from NSW Police
Ms Lamarre-Condon, a radio communications officer, told police the vaccine was unsafe and not effective and placed her life and health in danger as she sought more information about it.
Commissioner Janet McDonald found her to be “prevaricator” and “entirely disingenuous” because she took no steps “beyond reading material on the internet” to seek qualified advice.
Storm Townsend dismissed from NSW Police
Ms Townsend worked in a civilian capacity for NSW Police and applied for an exemption from the mandate, which was declined.
She told her manager she was not “anti-vax, generally; I am pro-choice” and sought the exemption because she wa concerned how the vaccine might interact with medication she was on.
Jacqueline Denshire dismissed from NSW Police
Senior Constable Denshire sought an exemption based on concerns about the safety and efficacy of the available vaccines. It was denied, and she appealed, unsuccessfully, by denying the misconduct allegation on the basis she was taking care of her own wellbeing.
David Roberts dismissed from NSW Police
Constable Roberts failed in his bid for an exemption from vaccination which he lodged on the basis it was his “choice to refuse a medical treatment/intervention, especially of a trial medication, which this still is”.
Mark Southcott dismissed from NSW Police
Mark Southcott was a police officer in the New South Wales Police Force from December 2014 until his removal in April 2022 and he failed to convince the Industrial Relations Commission the direction to get vaccinated was reasonable and lawful.
Hany Botros dismissed from NSW Police
Mr Botros sought an exemption until more information about the vaccine was known, but it was it was rejected by police and his appeal denied by the Industrial Relations Commission.
Christopher James Bucknell dismissed from NSW Police
Christopher Bucknell filed an application for a review of his removal as a sworn police officer after he failed to get the Covid vaccine. His appeal was thrown out after he failed to appear at the Industrial Relations Commission hearing.
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