A Northern Territory Supreme Court judge has rejected a bid to hold an expedited hearing challenging the territory’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.
Three unvaccinated men last week filed a legal case against the Chief Health Officer’s (CHO) direction that forbids workers from attending their workplaces after December 25 if they have not received both doses of an approved vaccine.
They had asked the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing on December 23, but Justice Sonia Brownhill today said the expedited timetable was too tight.
READ MORE: Mario Tsirbas spearheading legal challenge against NT vaccine mandate.
According to ABC News, Justice Brownhill refused the application and instead listed the matter for a directions hearing next Wednesday, when a trial date is expected to be set.
Outside court, Mario Tsirbas, the President of United NT Businesses, which is funding the legal challenge, said the result was “very disappointing.”
“We’ve got thousands of workers with a real prospect of having a Christmas of a lot of heartache,” Mario Tsirbas said, while added that the group would continue its legal fight.
“Justice is justice, regardless of the timeframe. So, yeah, we will be pushing ahead with the case,” he said.
“This is too important to walk away now.”
Source: ABC News.
