Anti-vax WA Police officers face disciplinary action after failed court action – WAtoday

More than 50 West Australian Police officers who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine will now be subject to disciplinary action after losing a legal fight on Tuesday.

Police officer Ben Falconer spearheaded the Supreme Court challenge, supported by dozens of his colleagues and other workers also subject to the state’s vaccine mandates, which required about 1 million people to get the jab before January 1, 2022.

Similar court action had been taken by employees in other Australian states, and each lost, with Supreme Court of Western Australia Justice Jeremy Allanson following suit and concluding the government’s state of emergency order, while extraordinary, was justified.

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch confirmed 51 police officers and 21 police staff had not followed the vaccination direction, with 25 officers and 17 staff stood down on full pay since the beginning of the year.

“Now that that case has been determined, it was found the direction issued by Chris Dawson was valid, we will proceed with disciplinary proceedings,” he told Radio 6PR.

Asked if there was any point in pursuing the action, given the mandates were lifted in June, Blanch said the officers still breached an employee direction.

“It’s a message to police officers that we have a duty to the community to do our job, and in times of crisis there’s an expectation from me, the commissioner, down to the newest constable, that we will be ready to serve the community,” he said.

“Overwhelmingly, almost all of our police officers stood up and went out there and did their duty at very difficult times.

“Each [disciplinary action] case is on a case-by-case basis, I’m not making a blanket decision, many people may put a reason forward that I will accept and that is that there is a valid reason for why they made the decision they made.