Victorians who flout the state’s vaccine mandate to be allowed Covid payments

Workers who do not comply with the state’s vaccine mandate and are stood down from their jobs, will be eligible to claim Covid disaster payments.

Victorians who flout the state government’s sweeping vaccine mandate from next Friday will be able to claim support payments worth up to $750 a week if they are stood down and forced to stay home.

About 1.2 million Victorians who hold authorised worker permits – including police officers, professional athletes, actors and taxi drivers – must have received at least one dose by October 15.

The Herald Sun can reveal if workers do not comply with the order and are stood down from their jobs, they will be eligible to claim the Covid-19 disaster payment.

It is worth $750 for those who lose more than 20 hours of work in a week and $450 for those who lose between eight hours and 20 hours.

The payments, made by the federal government, will be available until 80 per cent of eligible Victorians are fully vaccinated. Once that threshold is reached, likely in early November, the commonwealth has decided to phase out the support over a two-week period.

About 1.2 million Victorians who hold authorised worker permits must have received at least one dose by October 15. Picture: Getty Images

Asked whether unvaccinated Victorians who lost work were eligible to receive the payment until then, Emergency Management Minister Bridget McKenzie’s spokesman said it was “available to people who live or work in a commonwealth declared hot spot subject to a movement restriction and have reduced hours of work”.

“If a person is temporarily stood down, they may be eligible for Covid-19 disaster payment if they meet the eligibility criteria,” he said.

“People are encouraged to test their eligibility with Services Australia for other support payments if they are not eligible for the Covid-19 disaster payment.”

Australian Workers’ Union state secretary Ben Davis told his members this week they should be eligible for the support payment, saying “many of our members” were among those who had so far objected to being vaccinated.

Mr Davis said the union was “somewhat blindsided and frustrated” by the mandate, announced after vaccine rules for construction workers sparked chaotic protests.

“Unfortunately it is a lawful direction … so that’s why we’re not running off to court. I’m not interested in burning a couple of hundred thousand dollars to find out what I already know,” he said.

“As much as we don’t like it, there’s not a lot we can do to stop it.”

Mr Davis said the union was willing to support unfair dismissal cases for unvaccinated union members who lost their jobs, as he encouraged them to talk to their GPs to work through their concerns.

“The best thing you can do is go and get vaccinated,” he said.