They're Coming for You Next
Human rights and workplace rights are being obliterated in the name of the COVID-19 cult
If you’ve read any of my previous Substack essays, you’ll know I have been vehemently opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates from the moment they were a twinkling in the eyes of our megalomaniacal political leaders, bumbling health bureaucrats, and sadly, some grassroots medical professionals who fail to grasp the most basic principles of good medical care. If not, you can read some of my previous thoughts regarding our state/territory and federal governments, potential future political leaders, and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Since first attending our local rallies against this unethical and irrational ‘public health’ policy, this issue has become a deeply personal one. Among other concerns related to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, as a former nurse I could not abide the complete disregard shown to the most elementary tenet of medical ethics: informed consent. As a result, I stood up for myself and for others, by vocally opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates and openly calling for our health regulators to do the same. In doing so, I had the support of my wonderful husband, Matt.
In late 2021, despite being on approved leave and not in contravention of ANY public health orders, Matt was dismissed from his job as a fire fighter as a result of our jurisdiction’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Recently, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) upheld Matt’s employer’s decision, claiming his dismissal was not ‘unfair’. As I’m sure you can imagine, I wholeheartedly reject these findings.
Like countless others, our lives have been irrevocably changed by COVID-19 vaccine mandates. We have lost our careers, been forced to sell our house and leave our beloved home city, been publicly maligned, and faced the end of some personal relationships. Despite these losses, I am aware that the suffering of many others has been even more extreme.
While our governments were primarily responsible for instituting COVID-19 vaccine mandates, on the advice of our health bureaucrats (based on “the science”, of course – which they remain unwilling or unable to present for public scrutiny, ‘updating’ legislation or altering COVID-19 vaccine mandates lest they be forced to admit their hubris), there are many other organisations and individuals (in politics, health, justice, public service and the trade union movement, to name a few) who have played a part in this gross violation of fundamental human rights (and in Matt’s case, workplace rights).
Although I have no doubt that the number of Australians who were coerced into COVID-19 vaccination in one way or another is actually quite high (whether they recognise this fact yet or not), there are a number of people who willingly underwent COVID-19 vaccination as soon as they were permitted. While an argument can be made that even these people were not afforded ‘informed consent’ given the true nature of any adverse effects were unknown (and others may remain unknown for months or years to come) and therefore unquantifiable as part of a broader risk/benefit analysis, a subset of this group absolutely DID have a choice to participate (some, gleefully) in the aggressive and baseless vilification of those of us who had completely reasonable concerns.
In the case of Matt’s dismissal, those of several of his colleagues, and those of many others in various industries, organisations and employers want to evade responsibility for the role they have (actively) played and simply blame the government. Don’t get me wrong, the government is to blame; but this does not absolve the people who have applied these unethical mandates and in many cases, unjustly treated their staff (many of whom have years of dedicated, unblemished service) in the process. I do not accept that Matt’s dismissal was fair generally – or even necessary in the context of the specific policy of the day – and I do not accept that this is the society in which we must live, where opaque, unscientific public policy trumps the inalienable human right to bodily autonomy. I do not accept that the individual cogs in the apparatus of this policy application can simply deny their culpability by declaring they were “just following orders”. These people must be held accountable for their roles, and we cannot let them rewrite the circumstances of their involvement as the broader consequences of COVID-19 vaccine mandates continue to evolve.
I wrote an open letter to Matt’s employer at the conclusion of official proceedings related to his termination (which has now been published in the NT Independent). As the leader of a major public service, he must understand that he cannot escape the responsibility he holds for overseeing the application of this policy in an unduly aggressive and irrational manner, and that he must accept responsibility for ALL the consequences of this action.
This is what I wrote to him:
“Dear Mr Spain,
Please see attached my open letter to you in your capacity as the Chief Fire Officer of the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service, regarding your treatment of NTFRS staff related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
As the wife of one of these staff members (and the friend of others), I am appalled at the irrational and unnecessarily aggressive position you and your organisation took on this issue. While official channels may yet to have addressed this injustice, be assured that in time your decision to treat your own colleagues so poorly will be viewed with the shame it deserves.
Regards,
Laine Jolly.”
This was Mr Spain’s response:
Some people claim that COVID-19 vaccination in Australia is voluntary, and that despite broad-reaching COVID-19 vaccine mandates, employees still had/have a ‘choice’ about whether or not to accept COVID-19 vaccination. Some people argue that if Matt (and others) had simply submitted to COVID-19 vaccination then he wouldn’t have had any problems (as if to say he brought this all upon himself). These people are playing a dangerous game, as this concept of choice also applies to them. They had the choice to reject the government policy and vocally call it out; they had the choice to listen to their employees’ valid concerns and facilitate good-faith dialogue; and they had the choice to support their employees and work with them rather than against them. Instead, they chose to be foot soldiers for our ethically bankrupt governments and health bureaucrats, captured regulatory agencies, and Big Pharma. We all had the opportunity to stand up and say “no” to this overreach, for ourselves and perhaps even more importantly, for others. We all stood to lose ‘everything’; some of us did, but our values remain firmly intact.
Thankyou for speaking out.
None of the crimes against humanity that have committed over the last 2.5+ years would have been possible but for the complicity of people like Mark Spain. I don't know if there will ever be a Nuremburg 2.0, and I'm not sure whether there's an afterlife in which people pay for what they've done in this life. I just hope that at some point, in some way, all those who participated in these crimes - when they ALWAYS had a choice not to - will have to face what they've done.
Props to both you and Matt for standing strong and prioritising integrity over expediency.