Citing “jurisdictional issues“, the severe COVID compliance office of Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has reversed a significant portion of the vaccine mandate.  Details are oddly sketchy to find; however, it appears Victoria State government workers and workers within the judiciary will no longer be mandated to accept the COVID-19 vaccination.

(Sky News) […] All Commonwealth employees as well as people who work in connection with court proceedings will be exempt with a government spokesperson saying the relaxation is an attempt to avoid “jurisdictional limitations”.  The change will apply to judges, lawyers, security guards and police officers. (read more).

It would appear this reversal is due to an issue in a similar vein to ‘separation of powers’.    This sets up an unusual dynamic.  The vaccine mandate still exists for everyone in the private sector; because of course it does.  However, a judge hearing a case that challenges the vaccine mandate would themselves not be subject to the same state-wide mandate argued in their court.

**I’ll keep looking, but if you find anything I’d be interested to see what the official reasoning is.

UPDATE: The mandate guideline is HERE in pdf Form.  But the reason for the distinction between Government and Judicial employees (page 5) is not outlined.

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