As of the 5 February 2022 all court and tribunal worker which includes judicial officers and support staff, unless exempted, must be double vaxxed and show proof of vaccination and photo identification to enter the court.
The coverage is wide:
“In addition to judicial officers and all court and tribunal support staff, a ‘court or tribunal worker’ is defined to include any person who attends a court or tribunal site for court or tribunal work related purposes. Importantly, this includes legal practitioners (and their support staff), journalists and media court reporters and person summonsed for jury duty.”
The vaccination mandate will be strictly enforced by court staff most likely court security. And further anyone entering the court who are not a court and tribunal worker must be able to show proof of vaccination on demand.
Presumably this widens the net to include accused persons and witnesses in criminal proceedings and parties and their witnesses in civil proceedings. Courts are given wide powers to require proof of vaccination to anyone wishing to enter a court. There have been whispers that only persons having business with the court will be allowed in. Family and supporters will not be allowed as was the case some time last year.
Masks for all court attendees is mandated
The wearing of mask is mandated for everyone appearing in court. Judicial officers and lawyers can remove their masks only when appearing before the court to make submissions. In case you were wondering, the legal basis for the mandate is provided by the Public Health Act 2016 (WA), the Court and Tribunal Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions.
