Nine News quietly drops Covid vaccination requirement for workplace entry long after everyone else does

Nine News is having a week

If you’re unvaccinated, you are now allowed back in the Nine News building.

A leaked internal email from Nine News reveals that the Nine Workplace Conditions of Entry COVID-19 Policy was dropped earlier this week. The policy change applies nationally.

The workplace entry policy had been in place since December 2021, meaning that unvaccinated staff were unable to enter their place of work for just over a year. State-imposed workplace mandates were dropped around the country between April-June 2022, but in most cases, workplaces were allowed to retain their own workplace proof of vaccination requirements under their OH&S provisions.

The email states that the majority of the feedback on the policy was in favour of removing vaccination requirements for employees and visitors. This was taken into consideration along with changes in government recommendations.

Australia is one of the most highly vaccinated countries in the world, and yet since mid 2022 it has been reported that many Australians have been onto their second, third or fourth infections. Only the most devout Branch Covidians are seriously arguing, by faith alone, that Covid vaccines prevent transmission of the virus to the degree that would be required to have any meaningful impact in a workplace, let alone a pandemic. The workplace entry requirement must have been very unpopular to people who have eyes and full cognitive function.

Nine News still strongly recommends boosters for all staff, and will offer paid leave to those who wish to attend a vaccination appointment.

I would remind readers that obesity is one of the greatest risk factors in determining the severity of Covid outcomes. The CDC suggests that obesity may even triple the risk of hospitalisation with Covid. Two thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese.¹ If Nine News were following the science, I might have thought that they would offer paid leave for employees to go to the gym for a workout.

The news may come as a pleasant surprise to former Nine News sports reporter and AFL legend, Warren Tredrea. Tredrea is currently suing Nine News South Australia for banning him from the studio and forcing him out of his job due to his vaccination status. The case is still in progress.

SOURCE

This policy change may well provide an opportunity for Nine News to return to its stated values of Diversity and Inclusion, which, until this week, was an ugly hypocrisy adorned with lovely Indigenous art.

If you missed it, here is the other time Nine News showed their colours this week:

Nine News asked for people to come forward if they've suffered a heart attack, and let's just say things did not go as planned

*Correction. Mandates were relaxed nation-wide in April-June 2022, and multiple infections were reported in mid 2022. An earlier email version said mistakenly 2021.

1. National Obesity Strategy 2022-2023