Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I'm speaking on behalf of the Firefighters Alliance here in Canberra seeking our support and our help. These are the people who have been denied getting their jobs back. When we had COVID-19, vaccination mandates were put in place by state governments to force people to have the vaccine. What has happened is that about 250 firefighters across New South Wales and Victoria that have not been given back their jobs. I've had people in my office with 116 years of experience denied their right to provide for their families and do a job that they are passionate about and love doing for their communities.

In Victoria they three mandates for vaccinations, the last one in March 2022—they've had no vaccinations for nearly a year. In New South Wales they had two vaccinations, the last one in December 2021. The people they work around are not vaccinated and yet they cannot get their jobs back because they're not vaccinated. To me, this is bloody-mindedness by the state governments because they have allowed others back into the workforce—whether they be teachers, the police or other services—but not these people because they stood up for their rights and they believe in a choice for what goes into their body. There is no clear indication what harm they are doing. It has come out in evidence that it is not contagious. It can't be passed if you had the vaccination—sorry, it can still be passed. There is no clear evidence. It's about time that we start to support these people.

Another thing is, these people cannot go to an emergency to fight fires or national disasters. They can't cross the borders to help their mates and they can't help the Australian community. If they go and sign up as a volunteer, they can, but not as firefighters. I call on every senator here to start backing them and getting them back into the jobs where they should be.