Teachers, business owners granted COVID vaccine appeal
The Queensland Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday in favour of seven teachers and 12 small business owners who wish to further pursue their fight over what they considered to be an unlawful mandate.
Gold Coast teacher Cherie Jean Ishiyama was sacked in 2022 after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, in breach of the state's mandate for frontline staff, including educators.
Five other teachers and an early childhood educator, who also refused to be vaccinated, feared they would be terminated from their jobs due to the mandate.
Among the 12 hospitality owners, many were unvaccinated and could not enter their businesses. They were also forced to treat staff and visitors differently based on their vaccination status.
Others were fully vaccinated but had to restrict access to patrons who were unvaccinated, which 'significantly' affected turnover.
The group lodged an application in 2022 against the COVID-19 mandate made by the Queensland government and former Chief Health Officer John Gerrard, claiming it was 'unlawful' and detrimental to their human rights.
The mandate applied to workers in educational settings, correctional services facilities, police watch houses, youth detention centres, and airports, and meant that only people who could prove they had been vaccinated could enter businesses.
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