‘No compassion’: Bondi Rescue icon Clint Kimmins speaks out after vaccine mandate sacking

An icon from popular TV show Bondi Rescue has spoken out after he and a number of other stars were unexpectedly sacked over vaccine mandates.

An icon from popular TV show Bondi Rescue has spoken out after he and a number of other stars were unexpectedly sacked for not following Covid-19 vaccination mandates.

Ironman and former Bondi lifeguard Clint Kimmins was among several lifeguards let go by Sydney’s Waverley council after they failed to comply with vaccine rules or disclose their status at the height of the pandemic.

The triathlete from the Gold Coast says it was a bitter blow to be “coldly shown the door” after he and his colleagues put themselves in danger to save the lives of others at one of Australia’s most famous beaches over a number of years.

“We were on the frontline throughout the pandemic when they made us close the beaches and we’ve been left covered in blood from rescuing people and doing suicide retrievals from the rocks,” Kimmins told The Courier-Mail.

“To be treated this way is hugely disappointing.”

Those who failed to show proof of vaccination were dismissed from their role via a blunt email from the council, Kimmins said.

“We were just shown the door, there was no compassion,” he said.

The move stripped years of experience away from the backpackers hotspot, leaving Kimmins in fear that one of the busiest beaches in the world is now “dangerously under-protected”.

Bondi Rescue lifeguard Clint Kimmins. Picture: Instagram/@bondilifeguards

Kimmins has since made the decision to move back to Queensland to pursue big-wave surfing and triathlon events, but that also came with its own challenges as he had to leave his girlfriend and dog behind.

The emotional and financial pain of his departure from his lifeguard role also resulted in Kimmins needing to see a psychologist.

“I just think the whole thing’s been poorly handled – people should be being kind to each other at this time,” he said.

Commencing his Bondi Rescue career in 2018, Kimmins, also known as Clipper, has protected Sydney’s eastern suburbs coastline for four years.

In a departing post on Instagram, Kimmins said he was proud of what he has achieved at Bondi and his contribution as a lifeguard.

“I have saved many lives, I have sadly witnessed many deaths, I have served the community by doing something I love and have done it with pride and to the best of my ability,” he wrote.

“I have formed relationships with people I now care about deeply and I want to thank the locals for accepting me into their community. I will depart back to my home on the Gold Coast with my integrity intact and focus on Ironman racing and preparing for the upcoming big wave season at Nazaré.”