Why hundreds of Australians who lost their jobs because of Covid mandates could soon get their hands on a massive cash payout

Lots of of frontline emergency companies employees might obtain a large money payout after a category motion lawsuit was launched in opposition to the Queensland authorities over Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

The authorized motion was filed on behalf of over 300 Queensland Police Service and Queensland Ambulance Service officers within the Supreme Courtroom, in Brisbane, on Friday.   

Billionaire Aussie mining magnate Clive Palmer introduced in a press release, which was uploaded to X, that he’s funding the lawsuit.

‘We’re standing up for the 300-plus police and paramedics looking for compensation from the State of Queensland as a consequence of many individuals dropping their jobs, being injured by the COVID-19 vaccines and being unlawfully disciplined for not following the vaccine instructions set by the Queensland police and ambulance companies,’ Mr Palmer mentioned.

‘Queensland police and ambulance employees have been deserted by their unions. Their human rights have been ignored’.

The transfer comes after the Supreme Courtroom dominated in favour of 74 cops and QAS employees in February this 12 months, who launched authorized motion in opposition to the mandates. 

Justice Glen Martin discovered that the principles imposed on police have been illegal and people on ambulance workers have been ineffective.

The foundations, which have been issued to emergency service employees, throughout 2021 and 2022, required workers to obtain the vaccine and related booster doses. 

Those that didn’t comply confronted suspensions or sackings.  

Former specialist officer Senior Constable Luke Jones is among the many first responders, who’re a part of the case lodged on Friday. 

Mr Jones was suspended from his job in 2021 earlier than he was sacked earlier this 12 months after he refused to get vaccinated. 

He claims he has misplaced greater than $400,000 in wages and mentioned he struggled with the toll of being let go from the power as he fights to get his job again. 

‘The job position that I used to be in, it was going after among the most infamous, harmful folks on the road and that is the place I felt I might make the most important affect,’ Mr Jones informed the ABC.  

‘It was my dream job. I labored very onerous for that and to have that stripped away from me, so out of the blue out of nowhere, I struggled with identification after that for a very long time, as a result of I did not know who I used to be or what I needed to do’.

Solicitor Justin Sibley from Sibley attorneys, who’s representing those that are a part of the lawsuit, claimed Ms Carroll failed to think about the rights of officers when the mandates have been imposed.  

‘What the QPS did to all its workers, together with those that complied underneath coercion, was illegal,’ Mr Sibley informed the Courier Mail.

‘Those that are nonetheless exterior of the police as a result of they have been wrongly terminated, are having that fallacious perpetuated’.

Pictured: Australia throughout lockdown in 2021 

A Queensland Police spokesperson mentioned that police would not touch upon the lawsuit nonetheless, acknowledged the position officers performed in complying with the mandate.

‘The QPS recognises members who complied with the previous Commissioner’s instructions relating to necessary vaccination, to help the security of the Queensland neighborhood,’ the spokesperson mentioned. 

‘The Supreme Courtroom discovered that the previous Commissioner didn’t correctly contemplate human rights as required by the Human Rights Act 2019 when issuing the Instructions, and that this was the only foundation on which the Instructions have been illegal’.

‘As such, the QPS maintains it was acceptable for these members of the service to be vaccinated’.

The spokesperson mentioned officers, who have been suspended for non-compliance with the instructions, have since returned to work following the revocations of their suspensions.