Mass exodus threatened as shearers seek to escape Victorian COVID-19 vaccine mandate

All authorised Victorian workers, including shearers, must have their first dose of the vaccine.  (ABC Rural: Eden Hynninen )

The shearer shortage could soon reach crisis point in Victoria as some threaten to move interstate to escape the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

From Friday, all authorised workers in Victoria had to have had their first dose of a vaccine.

But at Benalla, in Central Victoria, shearing contractors Nick and Karen Van Elk have decided not to get the jab and were not forcing their workers to either.

The Van Elks said many of their 40 workers were wanting to skip town. 

"The shearers can go to New South Wales and shear sheep because there's no mandate on them there, but in Victoria there is," Mr Van Elk said. 

Nick and Karen Van Elk are refusing to enforce the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on their staff.  (ABC Rural: Eden Hynninen)

The Van Elks said they wanted to give their workers the choice to be vaccinated.

"We don't want to be forced to tell anyone to do something they don't want to do," Mrs Van Elk said. 

One of their shearers, Austin Lia, said he would prefer to move interstate, than get the vaccine.

"There won't be many shearers around Victoria," Mr Lia said. 

Shearer Austin Lia said he'll work in New South Wales to avoid getting the COVID-19 vaccine.  (ABC Rural: Eden Hynninen )

'It's going to spread'

Melbourne epidemiologist Nancy Baxter said a cluster of workers refusing to get vaccinated will increase their risk substantially of contracting COVID-19.

"If they're not wearing a mask, if they're in the shed with a number of people — particularly if one of them has COVID-19 — there is a significant chance of spread," Ms Baxter said.  

Wedderburn farmer Steven Poole said it will be "a disaster" if he can't get shearers on his property. (ABC Rural: Eden Hynninen)

The Van Elks have 78,000 sheep to shear this year in Victoria, some belonging to farmer Steven Poole. 

"It''ll be a disaster to my sheep business, I need my sheep shorn on time," Mr Poole said.

"We're already in crisis with the number of shearers in Australia and Victoria.

Industry caught by surprise 

The number of shearers refusing to be vaccinated has caught the industry by surprise. 

Shearing Contractors Association of Australia's Jason Letchford said he was disappointed to hear reports of a growing number of shearers refusing the jab. 

But from next week, help may come back the other way. 

Fully vaccinated workers from NSW, including shearers, can apply to enter Victoria without the need for quarantine.

"Some of the changes we've just announced today would make that an easy process — provided the shearers were vaccinated," Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said. 

But it is going to need to come quickly. 

"Any delay is of detriment to the animals and their welfare," Mr Poole said. 

Recycling the waste COVID-19 has created (Emilia Terzon)