While Labor’s Industrial Relations Bill is a rushed dog’s breakfast, I’m hoping to give it some redemption by including a clause that would stop companies from discriminating based on vaccination status.
There’s no reason for blanket mandates in workplaces given it will not protect workers or customers from infection. The IR Bill and my amendment are due to be voted on today.
Transcript
Minister, you look like you need a break, so I will give you a break from your legal jousting and setting up definitions of terms for the future. In proposing this bill, the government says the bill aims to secure jobs. My amendment on sheet 1768 goes to the heart of ensuring job security and protecting workers’ rights. To ensure job security, my amendment on sheet 1768 ensures that unjustified vaccine discrimination is stamped out in employment. The original bill inserts breastfeeding, intersex status and gender identity as attributes that the Fair Work Act protects from discrimination. This amendment copies that approach and simply adds COVID-19 vaccination status as an attribute protected from discrimination. The protection is still subject to the limits imposed on the other discrimination grounds in the Fair Work Act. An employer will not be in breach of the antidiscrimination grounds where the employer can prove, as they should have to, that it is a genuine and reasonable requirement of the position. This amendment is reasonable in its approach. It is not radical, because it uses and simply extends the existing mechanisms in the Fair Work Act.
We’ve long known that COVID vaccines do not stop transmission. Before this came apparent, however, getting vaccinated to ‘protect others’ was the justification many businesses used to roll out vaccine mandates. As a condition of keeping their job, many employees were coerced and still are being coerced into receiving COVID injections and boosters they do not want. The vaccine mandates cannot be justified, given the fact that vaccines do not guarantee protection from transmission.
The New South Wales Personal Injury Commission agrees with this view, with workers compensation being awarded for psychological distress stemming from mandates in the determination of Dawking and the Secretary of the Department of Education, handed down on 3 November. Sometimes the wheels of justice turn slowly, yet we are happy that judicial bodies are taking up this self-evident position that broad vaccine mandates cannot be justified.
Despite this, mandates are still in effect across much of the private sector. It’s clear that further legislative action must be taken. Businesses are simply ignoring the evidence against unjustified vaccine mandates. A clear message needs to be sent that unreasonable directions that infringe on workers’ rights have no place in Australian workplaces.
Often mandates do not even account for Australians that have accepted medical contra-indications to vaccination. The Australian newspaper reports that Qantas sacked a pilot for failing to comply with a vaccination mandate while he was off work in a serious health condition: being treated for bowel cancer. Separately, I’ve met a Qantas employee who, after being injected with the first COVID injection, was rushed to hospital with severe disability—possibly life-threatening—due to the COVID injection. After hospital care and partial recovery, he returned to work, where Qantas insisted he get the second injection. He contested it and is on a vastly reduced pay on workers’ compensation. He fears his career with Qantas is finished. How can this be in this country?
This amendment seeks to reinforce workers’ rights to refuse a workplace direction where it is not a reasonable and justified requirement of the job. It leaves no doubt for employees and employers that vaccine mandates must not be in place unless there is a reasonable and justifiable need for them. Minister, given that businesses continue to ignore workers’ rights in this area, will the government support this amendment to reinforce the decisions of the Fair Work Commission and codify protections for workers against unreasonable workplace directions?
Thank you Malcolm, discrimination and coercion are cruel and callous behaviours that end up hurting everyone. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they were a thing of the past
I hope this includes the public sector and the reinstatement of jobs lost because of vaccine refusal.
so sick of all the lies and corruption in our politics these days, fed up with seeing empty seats when your speaking in parliament 👎 i think there should be a bill passed to fine all polititions who should be in parliament, that’s what we pay them for, it’s disgusting, so annoyed you didn’t get more seats at the election, but good on you and the team keep going, you’re the only ones i trust 👍👍👍
Dear Malcolm.
I hope your sincere efforts to reinstate rightful freedom of choice for employees are successful
Best regards
RAD
Hi Senator Roberts thank you for calling out for these uninformed politicians who still believes that C19 V is safe and effective. I work in the public hospital been stood down and now facing disciplinary action /termination soon because I didn’t take the jab due to medical condition. This V has caused so much pain and suffering to a lot of us who didn’t take it. It has caused death and disability. Independent reviews and research have been done since then that this V is harmful so why is it that all the hospital in Australia is still mandating this??? Following the narrative that is harmful and fraud. Thank you.
Well done Sita for standing up against these killer shots …
I will be shocked if the socialist controlling party agree with this.
Thank You Senator Malcolm Roberts for the tireless work you are doing to Protect Australian’s. You only have to look at the TGA database in relation to the Covid19 Vaccines to see how many Australians have registered Adverse Reactions and also have many Deaths that coincide with the Administration of the Covid19 Government Mandated Vaccines, the Fact that this information is not being Transparently Reported in the Parliament and by Government Official in our Daily Media & News raises Deep Concerns. We have seen an increase in Unknow Cause of Deaths via the ABS since the Covid19 Vaccine Mandates imposed by the Government and all of those employees and the number of unknow deaths in Australia in One Year is higher than the previous average 5 Years, Once Again That Raises RED FLAGS. This is a very serious Health & Safety Concern when we are always hearing of people being injured or dying in those who were once healthy Australian’s. With Australian employees now mandating it for Australian Kids who are under age 18 for employment when they knowingly can look at the TGA Adverse Reactions Database is an Australian Disgrace. It’s always False Advertising and Misleading and Miss-Information when the government is running ads in Australia or those speaking on or in the media are saying it’s safe and effective if it was safe why would there be so many people registering adverse reactions or deaths. What we need is now Every Australian who works on the Front Line to come forth to you, to state what they have seen after people have been administered the Covid19 Vaccines, we need to Call Upon Every GP, Nurse, Pharmacies, Ambulance Officers,any person who has witnessed first hand along with their family and friends so that this can be throughly investigated, as this is now a matter of National Security, we also need Police and our actual Intelligence National Security Officers to do their Job, by verifying the data and what any Minister, Health Officer, or person is communicating on the news, they need to actually go into those hospitals and start interviewing all of the staff members to verify data, and information especially during the time the government start promoting to get the next injection. Also every government official and media representative and outlet needs to declare for all future pandemics and TGA the amount of money they are receiving by Big Pharma. We also need transparent ingredients list of the vaccines like you would receive if you were shopping in Coles or Woolworths for a box of Cereal. That has to be a given for all consumers. It should be a given right. If it has to happen in the supermarkets it needs to happen in our healthcare for Covid19 vaccines or future pandemic vaccines. Also all of the public messages relating to any future pandemic needs to be done in collaboration with Mental Health Experts, Psychiatrists, Psychologists and we need a Communication Charter for that a Code of Ethics and Standards to protect Australian’s Mental Health and to prevent triggering Mental Health illness we clearly know that due to the way government officials and those working in the media presented the information and due to the daily case numbers updates that all of this has triggered mental illness and a mental health crisis in Australia we need to take Mental Health extremely serious and we must never see in future epidemics the words like you are going to die for the virus or if you get the virus you could be the reason your loved one dies, we need messages that have been carefully narrated by Mental Health experts to prevent Fear, Anxiety, Trauma and a state of Panic, Stress Overwhelmed.
I heartily endorse each point you have made Yvette in your comment
What a day that would be when all involved in this terrible saga “ came clean “Mental
Health problems are ongoing yet the Medicare cover has been halved I understand
The WHO is well on hte way to making this unelected body into the SUPREME CONTROLLERs of ALL things’ related to Health in The World.
The World Health Organisation /WHO) was started by the ROCKEFELLER Foundation, and Billy Gates is the largest CONTRIBUTOR after TRUMP withdrew financial support.
The CEO is a non medical Ethiopian Warlord-
There is a voluntary body of Drs etc., who started WCH – after this Covid Jab. Do look up The World COUCIL for HEALTH and they may have further information re the WHO and a Petition to stop them with their nefarious doings.
Appreciate your efforts regarding employees rights and the vaccine mandates. I’m a registered nurse in Queensland and even though the mandates have lifted in the private hospital sector, the majority of private hospitals are still enforcing the jabs with Queensland health enforcing the booster for any new employees.
Natural Immunity for the WIN!!!
Immunity from prosecution for way too many…
A few good people are calling out the evil many.
Joyce/QANTAS, has a seat at the WEF. We know where the orders are coming from, and we know that our, so called, governments, follow the same dictates.
Thanks for fighting for us Malcom.
Have you noticed there’s not many little family run companies or contractors still enforcing this apartheid, it’s the big multinationals. BHP and the like. Disgusting, discrimination.
All the best Senator Roberts. I wish you a speedy positive outcome for the people of Australia.
The worlds greatest con has to come to an end. This will only happen when we get like minded politicians who are prepared to stand up and be counted.
Thank you, All the best for the festive season.
HUMANs are still caught in the never ending CONS Bill, and the real AGENDA is NOW being forced onto people., please be aware and spread the information you read here and other reliable sites
Thankyou all you do and achieve.
Senator with regards to businesses mandating vaccines I would like to know why they are legally allowed such authority when they have no medical qualifications to even recommend it. A few years ago if anyone threatened you with a syringe they would be prosecuted.
Love your work Senator – keep up the good fight
Thank you for your ongoing support of the rule of law and the basic human and democratic rights of all Australians. You are truly a well respected politician who is doing his duties as an elected member of Parliament who is responsible for protecting the interests and speaking for so many in Australia. Government and Bureaucratic overreach is rife and must be quashed as soon as possible for the sake of our nation and those who live within.
I was never so aware of the psychological dependence modern society has on hospital care in the event of accidents and health breakdowns until now. This occurred to me the night I had a health breakdown that historically landed me in ED. Having read many stories about the tragedies that resulted from the rough C19 V demands by staff, I made the decision I would not enter a hospital until the propaganda ends. I’m glad I made it through the night by myself–what a reality check–I felt closer to life and God than ever before. It was empowering to not be under the auspices of politically and financially driven hospital authorities.
This is a good start however I would argue that no business or government has the right to mandate any vaccine or other medical treatment. If I am competent enough to hold a job and to vote, I am competent enough to decide my own medical treatments. I would also like an enquiry into the ingredients used in vaccines with particular reference to aluminium based adjuvants.
Thank you senator Malcolm Roberts for fighting for us, all of the issues you have raised are all a huge concern for us. Vax injuries not safe and effective, zero carbon impossible to achieve and don’t need, Director ID? This is Agenda 21, so many issues of concern it is maddness, corruption, deception, how can we fight so many issues that will effect us all, a lot of us have been going to demonstrations for more than two years, signing petition, but we can not give up. Thank you again it is so exhausting and depressing
Thankyou Senator Roberts for being a voice for so many. You and the work that you are doing is greatly appreciated. I yearn to see the day when all mandates will be dropped. The horrendous impact that these have had is reprehensible, it makes my blood boil. My best friend passed away in February of this year from a massive brain bleed, 6days after receiving her booster. She worked Aged Care which of course was mandated. I’m still having difficulty in dealing with my anger. I feel for those who have suffered and endured hardship and heartache. These mandates are evil and cruel. I long for the day where those who have enforced these will be held to account. Once again, thankyou Malcolm 🙏
Thank you for your tireless effort!
We must not stop the fight.
Freedom is seriously at risk.