Pauline Hanson clashed with NSW Council for Civil Liberties President, Josh Pallas during a senate inquiry into the Covid-19 vaccination status. Mr Pallas stated the NSWCCL argued that governments should not mandate vaccines outside of settings where the risk of transmission was high, such as in healthcare settings.

He also stated that the decision should be on individual businesses to decide whether employees should need to be vaccinated based on “their own circumstances” and whether unvaccinated staff would present a safety risk.

When Senator Hanson demanded to know why NSWCCL did not advocate against vaccine mandates, Mr Pallas stated that there was a distinction between individuals making their own choices to get vaccinated “versus an employer compelling vaccination”.

He said there were no laws that would compel an employee to be vaccinated against their will and “that person can continue to refuse vaccination”.

“It may just mean in certain circumstances that they cannot be employed in a particular job now, there’s no automatic right of an individual to have X or Y job,” he said.

“We do believe that people are entitled to work, that does not follow that people are entitled to work in whatever job it is that they so desire regardless of any other consequences.”

Senator Hanson then asked if Mr Pallas supported individuals like “healthcare workers, teachers, firefighters … and those in the mining industry” losing their jobs over their decision to not be vaccinated.

“In those circumstances, Senator Hanson, yes,” Mr Pallas replied.

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