The NT Opposition is pushing for vaccine mandates to be scrapped in some industries in a move aimed to help staffing shortages in places like Katherine.
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In a statement released on Monday, Shadow Health Minister Bill Yan called on the NT Government to urgently scrap the vaccine mandate in place on industries including hospitality, retail and construction.
He said the mandate, which requires all workers in these industries to have three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, is "contributing to critical staff shortages and damaging our economy."
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"The Northern Territory is now the most restricted and least competitive jurisdiction in the country," Mr Yan said.
"While other states have kept the vaccine mandate for health staff and some high-risk settings, no other state or territory forces its entire workforce including: hospitality, retail and construction workers to have a mandatory third dose - or face the sack."
Speaking on ABC radio on Monday morning, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the health advice around COVID vaccine mandates needs to be reconsidered.
"The health advice from a year two years ago is not going to be the same as it is now," she said.
"We're moving to endemic not pandemic, so that means the severity of COVID as a jurisdiction is being limited. And, they're not my words, they're the government's words."
She said there were no other jurisdictions in the country which mandated the booster shot.
Owner of Katherine retailer Rod & Rifle, Trent de With, said he supported the mandates being scrapped to help with the worker shortage Katherine businesses are facing.
"Definitely I think it would help, lifting that [mandate]," he said.
"I heard a comment on the radio about how a guy can come [into a venue] and have a beer, but as soon as he goes to hand that beer to someone else he needs to be vaccinated - how does that work?"
He said he thinks the advice for the NT Chief Health Officer should be revisited.
"They need to update that - as far as everyone is concerned you're either vaccinated now or you're not."
NT Chief Minister and Health Minister Natasha Fyles said the government was prepared to adapt to new health advice.
"We have proven that we are an agile government that makes swift decisions when we can. We will continue to listen to the Health advice and adapt as required," she said.
Ms Fyles said the NT Government was investing in other ways to address workforce shortages in the NT.
"The Territory Workforce Advisory Group is providing strategic advice to government to address skill shortages, as well as provide oversight for projects to be funded through the $3 million Flexible Workforce Initiative Fund," she said.
"We will continue to work with employers and businesses across the Territory to support their workforce needs. We know our local businesses and key industries are struggling to find workers which is why we are investing $12.8 million to fill critical skill shortages in the NT."
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