Pursuant to the Public Health Act 2016, directions were issued on 31 January 2022 which will affect all practitioners and support staff attending at the Family Court of Western Australia and other courts and tribunals in WA from 5 February 2022.
To attend court, practitioners will need to be:
- partly vaccinated for COVID-19 from 5 February 2022;
- fully vaccinated from 5 March 2022 (noting the requirement of boosters for eligible recipients set out in the Booster Vaccinations (Restrictions on access) Directions no 2)
'court and tribunal workers' are defined broadly to include legal practitioners, students or those on work experience placements and support staff and must be vaccinated, and provide evidence of their vaccination status if required to do so, to attend or remain at a court or tribunal, unless exempt.
Parties and witnesses to proceedings are also subject to the requirement to show evidence of their vaccination status, but unless further directions are made, they are not at this stage required to be vaccinated.
Further notices or practice directions may be issued which impose additional requirements.