Premier cannot Rule by Press Release

On 9 November 2021, the Premier announced that unvaccinated Queenslanders would be precluded from living a normal life in this State from 17 December. That date is now just over 2 weeks away, to our knowledge no draft of the proposed health Direction has been made public, let alone the actual Health Direction being released.

“The Premier cannot make law by press release. It is entirely inappropriate that almost 2 weeks out from these complex rules coming into place, businesses and individuals in this State cannot plan properly for the new laws” says QCCL President Michael Cope

“No lawyer will be able to properly advise their client, particularly their small business clients without access to the actual terms of the law. A Press release is no substitute for the actual Direction”

No matter what the Police Commissioner says, for practical purposes the enforcement of these laws will fall on businesses because the police will not be able to be everywhere. Those businesses are entitled to know now what their obligations are.

The government should immediately publish the Direction, with a provision that it will not commence until 17 December. At the very least, a draft of the proposed Direction should be released immediately.

“It is a fundamental premise of the rule of law that people are entitled to certainty in conducting their lives and businesses. A draft of this proposed Direction must exist. Too often in this pandemic, these Directions have been released either just as they start or on occasions after they came into force.”

“There is no possible reason to delay the release of the Direction given that the government’s policy was announced 3 weeks ago.”

Our concerns about immunity passports have been articulated on a number of occasions-see our website www.qccl.org.au

The passports represent an unprecedented privacy intrusion.  Never before have individuals needed to demonstrate their health status or provide any medical information to enjoy day to day freedoms. This privacy intrusion could change not only long-held expectations of medical confidentiality but the way that society operates as a whole

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For further information contact Michael Cope President QCCL on 07 3223 5939 during office hours and at all times on 0432 847 154 

2 December 2021