The Victorian Chamber of Commerce conducted the COVID-19 Vaccination Survey to better understand businesses felt about mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in the workplace and social settings, such as sports and events, where mandatory vaccination may be considered a condition of entry. 

While mandatory COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, except for workers in aged care and COVID-19 facilities, the debate as to whether the requirement should spread to other sectors, such as retail and hospitality, is ramping up. 

“The Victorian Chamber said back in March 2021 that mandatory vaccinations for staff would emerge as one of the biggest workplace relations issues this year and that has now come to pass. At the time we said that at the heart of business' concerns was the balance between legal requirements to provide a safe workplace with the rights of individuals to refuse vaccinations,” said Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra. 

“We asked for 'clear and tangible guidance' that could be relied upon in courts and tribunals. Six months later and we are still waiting.” 

Navigate all the results using the interactive charts below:  

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The survey results found that 46 per cent of businesses support the concept of mandatory vaccinations as a condition of employment, 29 per cent only believe mandatory vaccination should apply to some professions. Only 50 per cent of businesses would like the vaccine offered at their workplace, while 33 percent of businesses are currently offering time off work to encourage their employees to get vaccinated.  

There was not a large distinction between metro and regional business responses, with all results between Regional and Metropolitan businesses indistinguishable.  

The sporting and events sectors will be relieved to find that 66 per cent of respondents believe that sports venues and events should be able to restrict entry of unvaccinated patrons, potentially opening an avenue to allow the sector to resume regular operations. Recently, global-leading events business AEG Presents – operator of music festivals Coachella and New Orleans’ Jazz Fest – introduced requirements in the United States for all concertgoers to provide proof of vaccination before entering; a strategy becoming increasingly common around the world. 

The survey results have also shown that Government websites are the clear preference to find information about COVID-19 vaccinations, while General Practitioners ranked third.  

How the Victorian Chamber can help  

Our experienced Workplace Relations Consultants can assist you with drafting and reviewing workplace policies to ensure they are compliant with the relevant legislation. 

For assistance and guidance on any aspect of your employment obligations, please call the Victorian Chamber Workplace Relations Advice Line on (03) 8662 5222.  

Advocacy and campaigns  

For more information on the Victorian Chamber’s advocacy work and current campaigns, along with submissions and taskforces, visit the Policy and Advocacy section of the VCCI website.  

If you have any questions or would like to be involved in our advocacy work, please contact policy@victorianchamber.com.au.