Town of Port Hedland Council adjourns meeting backflip on move to sue State Government over vax mandates

The Pilbara council that sensationally endorsed plans to sue the State Government over vaccine mandates adjourned a meeting to revoke the decision recently, instead choosing to take more time to consider the item. On June 1 the Town of Port Hedland Mayor Peter Carter called for a meeting to move a motion that would overturn the May 11 decision to sue the State Government. However the Mayor announced minutes into the meeting the item would be adjourned for two weeks to give councillors time to review the latest legal advice received. The item sought to revoke the decision to apply to the Supreme Court of Western Australia for a judicial review of a number of emergency declarations made in response to the global pandemic, between March 2020 and April 2022. In the agenda, Mayor Carter stated he was concerned the resolutions did not adequately consider the potential for this matter to be beyond the powers of the Town and further legal advice should be sought before acting on the decisions made. Mr Carter also listed the potential unknown cost to ratepayers of undertaking the proposed Supreme Court action and the need to consult with the broader community as his reasons for wanting to revoke the decision. Previously, on May 11 the Town of Port Hedland councillors passed three of four motions raised by electors at an April 12 special electors meeting, attended by about 130 people. The focus of the motions was to fight against vaccination mandates for workers. Despite legal advice cautioning against carrying the motions, councillors voted 5-3 in favour of three motions. It comes after Premier Mark McGowan announced that from June 10 vaccination mandates would be dropped for workplaces excluding health care, residential aged care and disability settings. During the May 11 meeting, Cr Ash Christensen compared fighting against mandates to the Anzac’s battle of Gallipoli. The item will be raised again on June 15.