NT anti-mandate Supreme Court challenge returns

The legality of the vaccine mandate is expected to be determined in two months time, despite the Solicitor General flagging potential delays.

THE legality of the Northern Territory’s vaccine mandate is expected to be determined in two months time, despite the Solicitor General flagging potential delays in compiling evidence.

The major challenge launched by a bus driver, supermarket worker and a sparky returned to the Supreme Court on Friday for a directions hearing before Justice Sonia Brownhill.

Three men, Ray Phillips, Conan Thomas Hammett and John Anstess claimed they had lost shifts and employment over the NT government’s vaccine mandate.

The group has previously claimed the health measure was unlawful and racist, as it classified Aboriginal people as a “vulnerable” group.

A directions hearing has been set for March 8, with the four-day hearing still expected to run from April 19-22.

Outside the Supreme Court, United Business NT spokesman Mario Tsirbas spoke in support of the anti-mandate plaintiffs.

Mario Tsirbas outside the Supreme Court whenlegal action was launched against the Territory government's Covid-19 vaccine mandate. Picture: Jason Walls

Mr Tsirbas accused the government of being in a “Mickey Mouse situation” after the Solicitor General reportedly asked for more time to compile the evidence.

“How can the government and Michael Gunner stand up and say this is the best decision when they don’t even have a centre brief of evidence to provide to the Chief Health Officer to make this decision,” Ms Tsirbas asked.

“How can a group of small businesses be prepared to go and yet the Solicitor-General of the Northern Territory stands there and says ‘I don’t know if I can be ready’?”

In earlier hearings Solicitor-General Nikolai Christrup said the NT Government was working diligently to get the matter resolved.

“We’ve put ourselves under tremendous pressure in order to meet our timetable,” Mr Christrup said in December.

Mr Tsirbas said the current outbreak showed the government was unable to control the spread, “and these mandates, all that they are doing is damaging business.”

“The only thing these mandates do is divide our community.”

NT Health said over 95 per cent of Territorians had two doses, but have expanded the mandate to include boosters.

The first deadline for the booster shot is March 11 applying to workers in high risk settings including hospitals, aged care facilities and correctional and detention facilities.

A second deadline of April 22 applies to the remainder of Territory workers.