Queensland police officers mount legal challenge to Covid-19 vaccine mandate

A “concerned” group of police officers are banding together in a legal challenge to a new Covid-19 vaccination mandate for all staff.

A “concerned” group of Queensland Police officers and their families have banded together in a legal challenge to a Covid vaccination mandate for all staff and officers in the force.

They have set up a crowd-funding page to raise money to hire a lawyer, and it has received more than $18,000 in donations in just a handful of days.

Many of those donating appear to be serving and retired police officers, and the group behind the page seem to be taking a broader stance on vaccine mandates for employees in other sectors, public or private.

They also stressed that they were not “anti-vaccine”.

“We are not pro- or anti- the vaccine. This is not a pro- or anti- vaccine matter,” the group stated.

“It is a question of whether our employers on behalf of the government can authorise civil conscription and interfere with the relationship between a patient and their doctor by mandating a vaccine.”

They said that Australia has a “representative democratic government structured to afford its citizens legal protection against the exercise of arbitrary political power.”

The campaign has raised over $18,000 so far.

“We consider it to be the case that a mandatory vaccination policy at the initiative of an employer is incompatible with our workplace rights as employees and infringes upon our rights to freedom and informed consent to a medical procedure,” they said.

The group will be using the funds to mount a legal challenge to the new directive from the Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.

It means all police officers and staff members will be required to have their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by October 4 and their second dose by January 23 next year.

All officers who have not received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or who are legally exempt will be required to wear a mask while on duty indoors and outdoors where they cannot socially distance.

Commissioner Carroll said police had been at the forefront in protecting Queensland from the spread of the virus — so it was important for them to protect themselves and others by getting vaccinated.

“From border control, quarantine facilitates, to processing passengers at our airports, mask compliance and many other enforcement activities, our officers have been front and centre in the fight against Covid-19,” she said in a press conference last week.

She also appeared to anticipate some pushback.

“While we respect individual choice and we will engage closely with our members as we implement the directive, our overwhelming obligation is to ensure we have safe workplaces and a safe community,” she said.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll. Picture: David Clark

The group who have put together the fundraising campaign say they have sought legal advice, and that they are currently working with a law practice. They aim to raise $20,000 to hire a solicitor.

“Even if you are not a QPS employee or family member, this affects you,” they said.

“We believe acquiescence with a vaccine mandate will set a dangerous precedent for our country. Today, it is a vaccine. Today, it is us on the line. What will it be tomorrow? Who will it be tomorrow?”

In a statement, a Queensland Police Service spokesman said the force sought independent legal advice “to inform the process and received the support of all relevant QPS employee unions prior to announcing the mandate last week”.

“The QPS is mandating vaccinations for the entire workforce in all QPS workplaces within the next five months to protect employees, their families and the community from COVID-19,” he said.

“The dynamic nature of policing means frontline officers interact with large volumes of people and move around to all corners of the state.

“It is important the Queensland community has confidence and feel safe when interacting with their police.”

Queensland Police officers have five months to get fully-vaxxed. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sarah Marshall

He said staff were encouraged to speak with their managers to work out “individual issues and circumstances” over the next five months.

“While we respect individual choice and we will continue to engage closely with our members as we implement the directive, our overwhelming obligation is to ensure we have safe workplaces and a safe community,” he said.

Other forces around the nation are moving to ensure their officers are vaccinated.

This week it was revealed that NSW Police is moving to mandate the Covid-19 vaccine for all employees who will need to be fully vaccinated by the end of November.

The force made the major announcement on Tuesday, stating that all employees would also be required to have their first dose by the end of September.

Evidence of their vaccination will be used to guide “deployment, welfare and safety management”, police said in a statement.