Coronavirus: Unvaccinated politicians and staffers set to banned from Victorian parliament

Daniel Andrews has written to Scott Morrison asking he mandate vaccines for commonwealth employees in Victoria.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Sports Minister Martin Pakula in parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sarah Matray

Premier Daniel Andrews has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking he mandate vaccines for commonwealth employees in Victoria after the state government moved to bar unvaccinated parliamentarians from entering or voting in parliament.

Mr Andrews’ appeal came after the state government last week ordered all authorised workers, who are permitted to work onsite during lockdown, have received at least one dose or have booked their first dose by October 15. They will need to be fully vaccinated by November 26.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said there was a separation of powers issue around mandating vaccines for those working in courts and parliament but said the state government intended that every member of parliament be fully vaccinated like other essential workers.

“We are working on mechanisms to make sure that every member of parliament complies with the same sort of requirements that the public is expected to comply with,” he said.

It understood that some commonwealth employees, the judiciary and some faith leaders may be exempt from the health order mandating vaccines for constitutional reasons.

A Victorian government spokeswoman said Premier Daniel Andrews had written to the Prime Minister to request he mandate vaccines for commonwealth staff, who can be mandated to undergo vaccination through commonwealth biosecurity powers.

“For the avoidance of doubt, and to avoid any jurisdictional limitations, some workers, including some Commonwealth public servants and Court staff, may require a direction from their employer in order to be subject to the vaccine mandate,” she said.

Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said the courts were considering measures that would require staff working onsite to be fully vaccinated but said coverage was already high.

“For all practical purposes, the Courts and VCAT will be in a similar position to other essential service providers in Victoria,” she said.

Victoria’s upper house will next week debate a motion that would see parliamentarians barred from entering the chamber and their security access passes revoked if they failed to meet the vaccine deadline.

Liberal Democrats upper house members David Limbrick and Tim Quilty have already flagged they will oppose the motion and will refuse to hand over their medical records, despite both being fully vaccinated.

“We think this a step too far, this is basically denying elected members of parliament the ability to represent people based on their medical status,” he said.

Mr Limbrick said the notice of motion could be the first ever to prohibit members from parliament based on their medical status.

Shadow attorney-general Tim Smith, who is fully vaccinated, said the opposition supported as many Victorians receiving the jab as possible and would support the motion.

“We have supported mandatory vaccines in multiple settings, including healthcare and primary care networks, so it would be a bit rich of us to not expect MPS to also be vaccinated,” he said.