Majority of NT public servants receive first Covid jab, government services not to be affected

Northern Territory government services will not be affected by public servants quitting to avoid the Covid vaccine mandate, with most staffers having received their first jab.

NORTHERN Territory government services will not be affected by public servants quitting to avoid mandatory workplace Covid vaccinations, it has been revealed.

Two days after the government’s first-jab workplace deadline passed on Friday, 97 per cent of public servants have now had their first jab.

That means less than 3 per cent of the Territory’s 22,000 public servants have not had a jab – which also means there will be no disruption to services, the government says.

And the NT News understands the government believes the 700 figure will drop further as vaccinated public servants update their status with agency bosses.

A small number of the 700 public servants have approved medical exemptions.

The NT News also understands just 14 police officers remain unvaccinated, as well as a small number of teachers and healthcare workers – but not enough to disrupt schools or hospitals. The government says by close of business Monday, unvaccinated public servants will be advised by their CEOs they will be suspended from work without pay while they remain unvaccinated. Employment may be later terminated if the employee continues to refuse the jab. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the high rollout reflected positively on public servants.

“I thank our public servants, and all Territorians, for getting vaccinated and playing your part in keeping the Territory safe. It’s no surprise to me that we have an excellent vaccine rate in our public service. Our public servants care about the Territory, and they want to play their part to protect the vulnerable.”

On Friday the government moved quickly to shut down delays in removing unvaccinated public servants from the public service payroll.

A letter, signed by Health Department CEO Dr Frank Daly, to staff laid out a staged process for weeding out unvaccinated public servants that could have taken weeks to conclude while many remained on full pay.

This caused dissent among the private sector, where no such leeway was granted to employees.