200 people gather in Albury to protest mandatory vaccines for workers

About 200 people met at Australia Park on Friday in a gathering organised on social media, joining public service employees across the nation.

Police said no offences were committed at the gathering.

Attendees protested against COVID-19 vaccination rules in certain workforces, and some wore white T-shirts with slogans and held up placards.

NSW healthcare workers must now have had one dose of a vaccine, NSW teachers must be fully vaccinated by November 8, and other industries have vaccine requirements.

Authorised workers in Victoria will need to have had one dose by October 15 to keep working on site.

Hannah Seymour, who works in education support in Wodonga, said she feared losing her job next month.

She said many in the crowd had chosen to be vaccinated, but said attendees wanted to have the right to choose rather than being forced.

"I have been employed by the education system for over 10 years and love what I do, making learning accessible for students with special needs and learning difficulties," she said.

"I'm going to be shown the door if I don't comply.

"A lot of us here have had the vaccination.

"It's not about whether we should or shouldn't, it's that we should be having freedom to chose whether we get vaccinated."

Police attended the event.

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They will not take any action.

Albury Detective Chief Inspector Mick Stoltenberg said those at the event were outside and were spread out appropriately.

"Nobody has committed any offence, it was peaceful" he said.

"No further action will be taken."

Attendees told police they had been keen to avoid the protests seen in Melbourne.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration reports that most COVID-19 vaccine side effects are mild.

"Vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective way to reduce deaths and severe illness from infection," the body says.

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