Thursday, 15 August 2024

Adjournment

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (01:48): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

COVID-19 vaccination

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (01:48): (1062) My matter is for the attention of the Minister for Emergency Services, and it is in relation to an issue that I have raised on a number of occasions around vaccinations for firefighters. Victoria is the state in Australia that enforces vaccination mandates for firefighters, and it is well reported that there are around 50 that are unvaccinated. They can go anywhere in this state – they can go into a hospital and visit their dying loved one and they can go into any social area – but they cannot go to work. It is absolutely ludicrous that this group of people have been barred by the government and are not able to return to their workplace. The pandemic is well and truly behind us, thank goodness. Yes, there is COVID circulating in the community, but there are a whole lot of other viruses that are also circulating and people are not being barred from their workplaces because they are not vaccinated for them. It is just extraordinary that this group of people have not been able to return to their rightful place. There is very often a shortage of firefighters. There are messages that go out to say that there are vacancies or difficulties filling shifts. These people are well trained, they are well experienced and they could actually fill those shifts and assist in keeping the community safe. There is a question around whether there has been a possible breach of the human rights of these individuals. I am not sure if the emergency services minister in her capacity as Attorney-General has even sought advice from the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office about that very question. I hope she would have. I was hoping to ask that in question time on Friday – meaning today, now that it is 10 minutes to 2 –

Tom McIntosh interjected.

Georgie CROZIER: Well, Mr McIntosh, because we were supposed to be debating an urgent bill and you brought an urgent bill into this Parliament on Wednesday, it is now Friday at 10 to 2 in the morning. The issue I am raising is a very important one for these individuals. I want to know, as I said, as she is also the Attorney-General, whether that information has even been sought. I would also like to ask –

Tom McIntosh: On a point of order, President, my understanding is an adjournment can only be made to one minister.

Georgie CROZIER: On the point of order, President, I am saying in her capacity – she is also the Attorney-General. It is to the emergency services minister. My adjournment is to the emergency services minister –

The PRESIDENT: That is all right. We have clarified that, Ms Crozier.

Georgie CROZIER: My adjournment is to the emergency services minister, as I stated, but she is also the Attorney-General, so this issue is around her capacity in both responsibilities. The matter I am asking about is: will these firefighters who were stood down because they are unvaccinated be paid out, or will they be reinstated as they have been stood down?