A casual relief teacher wants Victoria’s Supreme Court to put a hold on mandatory COVID-19 vaccines, arguing there’s no legal or ethical justification for requiring the jab.

Belinda Cetnar has filed a case against the State of Victoria, claiming a requirement that all school and childcare staff have their first vaccine by October 18 is discriminatory and a breach of human rights.

Ms Cetnar says she is a casual relief teacher while Jack Cetnar, the joint plaintiff, is a horticulturalist employed by Crest Education.

“The proposed directives to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for school or childcare staff is not a proportionate response to the Covid-19 pandemic in circumstances where there is a 99.9 per cent survival rate and children mostly suffer mild effects from the disease,” she said in court documents.

She said the blanket mandate didn’t consider the human rights of those it was imposed on and there had been a failure to consider less restrictive means to achieve the intended purpose, including rapid antigen tests and PPE.

Ms Cetnar said she would lose her livelihood if she fails to get vaccinated, while Mr Cetnar faces losing his.

Both their roles cannot be fulfilled off site, she said.

“Schools and childcare centres will face loss of valued staff members which cannot be remedied by damages,” she argued.

“Employers are placed in a position to police their employees which is unjust and a coercive tactic, causing division in the community.”

Ms Cetnar is representing herself in the case. A directions hearing will be heard on Tuesday.

AAP

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