Sweeping vaccine mandates in Western Australia’s (WA) could see an estimated 39,000 workers lose their jobs and livelihoods, a figure which is estimated to cost the state economy around $2.9 billion (US$2.1 billion).
WA Premier Mark McGowan has implemented one of Australia’s most significant vaccination mandates, currently requiring more than 75 percent of the state’s workforce—equivalent to over a million residents—to get vaccinated by January.