The Queensland Attorney-General has announced a relaxation for vaccine mandates in some workplaces from 1:00am AEST, Thursday 30 June 2022.

From this date, visitors to the below settings will not be subject to mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations:

• residential aged care;
• disability accommodation; and
• corrective service facilities.

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations will remain in place for workers in healthcare, hospitals, aged care and disability care.

In a decision that will have immediate impacts for employers, the public health direction mandating COVID-19 vaccines for workers in the following high-risk settings will be revoked:

• schools, early childhood education, outside school care, kindergartens, family day care;
• prisons, community corrections, work camps;
• police watch houses;
• youth detention centres; and
• airports.

The media release contemplates that decisions on mandatory vaccinations in these workplaces will instead be made by the owner or operator of the relevant setting (and on a case by case basis). Employers wanting to maintain a mandatory vaccination policy following the revocation of the public health direction relevant to their business, should seek legal advice on the key considerations, risks and process of doing so.

Aitken Legal will continue to monitor the changes in the public health directions and keep employers up to date on the latest modifications.