Bloxham v State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) [2022] QIRC 37
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Title
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Bloxham v State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) [2022] QIRC 37
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Date
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February 16, 2022
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Summary
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The case concerned an application for an exemption pertaining to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and requirements for police officers in circumstances where the Appellant was suspended without remuneration when her exemption was denied. The Appellant contended that the Respondent’s conclusions with respect to her human rights ‘lack[ed] clarity’: at [23]. However, the Commission considered that the Respondent had taken her human rights into careful consideration in listing several rights that may have been limited and considered why those limitations were reasonable, which included the right to protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (section 17) and the right to privacy and reputation (section 25) in the of the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld). The Respondent considered that the importance of maintaining financial accountability and public trust in the Queensland Police Service outweighed the impacts on her rights. The Commission held that it was not unreasonable to refuse the exemption request and suspend the Applicant on this basis.
