An appeals court has found it “inconceivable” that legislation aimed at protecting public health would not have afforded the New South Wales health minister the power to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for certain workers, given the outbreak of the Delta strain of the coronavirus.
Victorian workers challenging the government’s health directions requiring workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have lost their second bid to disqualify the judge hearing the case on the ground of apprehended bias.
Employment law experts say the current lawsuits challenging COVID-19 vaccine mandates are likely to fail, and that future lawsuits lurking around the corner will also face a high bar.
A judge has made the “regrettable” call to postpone the trial in a case brought by workers challenging the Victorian government’s COVID-19 health directions until after they expire, blaming the workers for creating a series of “fruitless” delays.
The Northern Territory government has been hit with a class action alleging it discriminated against Indigenous Australians in Wadeye by failing to provide proper healthcare services.
Billionaire businessman and litigation hobbyist Clive Palmer is planning a lawsuit against the Queensland government, claiming new COVID-19 restrictions preventing unvaccinated persons from entering restaurants, pubs and clubs have created a “two-class state”.
A court has struck down a bid by unvaccinated nurses to restrain Monash Health from terminating their employment in accordance with the Victorian COVID-19 public health directions requiring them to be vaccinated, saying their case is “at best, weak”.
A group of 134 workers in healthcare, education and construction have argued a judge should grant them a temporary exemption from Victoria’s direction mandating essential employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 to work outside their homes.
The federal government is seeking to avoid a representative proceeding brought on behalf of Indigenous men alleging its failure to “close the gap” in life expectancy necessitates a lower age eligibility for their fair and equal access to the age pension.
Thirteen Victorian silks have expressed “deep concern” over a bill proposed by the Andrews government giving the health minister power to make “pandemic orders”.