The AFP has posted material setting out the process if an appointee refuses to comply with the direction to receive a vaccination and does not obtain an exemption.
Noting that the mandate is proposed to be contained within a Commissioner’s Order, and failure to adhere to the Commissioner’s Order will be followed up by a direction to the appointee from Deputy Commissioner Operations under section 40 of the AFP Act, breaching a Commissioner’s Order and/or a direction may potentially lead to disciplinary action being taken. As noted above, in most cases, a direction to receive a vaccination is likely to be lawful and reasonable for most AFP appointees, meaning that such directions need be complied with.
In some other police jurisdictions which have mandated COVID-19 vaccinations, Commissioners of Police have directed unvaccinated members to not attend work until such time as they have received a vaccination. In these circumstances, employees have been required to utilise their own leave entitlements while directed not to attend the office