Senate debates

Thursday, 9 March 2023

Bills

Work Health and Safety Amendment Bill 2022; In Committee

1:18 pm

Photo of Michaelia CashMichaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I'll be very brief. At this stage of the pandemic COVID-19 vaccination mandates are not needed, nor are they required, in the overwhelming majority of Australian workplaces and that is a good thing. The Australian people do not want to return to the restrictions we had at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important, however, that medical advice determines whether a vaccination is needed in a particular workplace, whether it is for COVID-19 or any other disease. COVID-19 vaccinations remain an important tool in certain aspects of health care, including in aged and disability care, where there is direct contact between workers and patients who are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. It is important that these sectors are able to be relied on to make decisions about whether a mandate may be necessary, based on medical advice. As such, whilst we note the overwhelming majority of workplaces do not require a COVID-19 vaccination, and that is a good thing, it is important in sectors like health care that they are able to make decisions on whether there should be mandatory vaccinations for their workers, but based on medical advice.

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