AFLW player Deni Varnhagen’s challenge to vaccine mandate delayed by quarantine

An AFLW footballer’s challenge to vaccine mandates has been postponed yet again – because the state government’s lawyers are in quarantine.

AFLW player Deni Varnhagen’s challenge to SA’s vaccine mandate has been postponed again, this time because the state government’s lawyers are in quarantine.

In an urgent hearing on Monday, the Supreme Court agreed – for the second time – to vacate the scheduled trial over the case.

The court heard two of the key lawyers who will argue the state government’s case were, at the weekend, declared close contacts.

It also heard they are in mandatory quarantine for 14 days because they are unable to effectively isolate from the person to whom they are a close contact.

Varnhagen, fellow nurse Courtney Milligan, teacher Craig Bowyer, childcare worker Kylie Dudson and police officers Adam Zacary Cook and Rosalyn Smith are challenging the mandate.

They claim authorities failed to exclude all “obvious, alternative, compelling, reasonably practicable” alternatives that do not affect “common law rights or freedoms to bodily integrity”.

Witnesses who will be called at the trial include State Co-ordinator and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, and Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier.

The trial was originally supposed to start last week – before the state election – but was postponed due to debate over the allegedly late provision of evidence causing “prejudice” for the government.

It was rescheduled to commence this Wednesday.

On Monday, counsel for the government asked the case be relisted for “sometime after April 5”, when the lawyers will have finished their quarantine.

Justice Judy Hughes agreed, and listed the trial to commence on that date.

Originally published as AFLW player Deni Varnhagen’s challenge to vaccine mandate delayed by quarantine