Covid-19 High Court quashes unlawful vaccine mandate for Police and Defence Force Staff

Unvaccinated police officers and NZDF staff challenged the order in the High Court. Lawyers argued, among other things, the mandate did "not allow consideration of exceptional individual circumstances [and] does not allow other ways to keep people safe, for example regular testing or working from home”. In a judgment released on Friday, Justice Cooke concluded "the order does not involve a reasonable limit on the applicants' rights that can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society, and that is unlawful.