THE mandating of COVID-19 vaccinations in Victorian workplaces, other than vulnerable health and aged care environments, must end, according to Western Victoria MP, Bev McArthur.

The call came just a day before the State Government announced face masks would no longer be required on public transport from yesterday onwards - the decision brings Victoria in line with mask requirements in most other states and will provide more national consistency on the approach to mask wearing.

Ms McArthur raised the mandate issue in the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday and questioned the health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas – as vaccination rates in Victoria hit 95+ per cent for double dose, 70 per cent for the third dose, and 22 per cent for the fourth.

“When will these ridiculous mandates be dumped given the high degree of vaccination and their limited capacity to stop the spread of the virus?” she asked.

Ms Arthur provided an example of the inconsistency of the current rules.

“I have a constituent who has worked at VicRoads for many years,” she said.

“He was double-dosed with a COVID-19 vaccine, serving up to 500 customers face-to-face every week.

“He recently successfully applied for a job in another government office – the Department of Transport. However, for this government job, he needed the booster shot before his contract could be signed.

“He got the third jab because he needed the job. But the new job requires him to deal with only a handful of people compared to his previous role.

“It is farcical, and wrong, that he needed the additional vaccination.”

Ms McArthur questioned the need for the government’s ongoing requirements.

“Is it any wonder that we are facing a massive jobs shortage in Victoria?” she said.

“These mandates are a self-inflicted and unnecessary contortion of the jobs market.

“The varying degrees of vaccine mandating across government departments is almost comedic but for the devastating impact on jobs and the control it exerts over people’s rights to decide their own health outcomes.

“My constituent is just one of thousands who are facing this silliness every day.”

Victoria has had over 36,000 influenza cases this year, and Ms McArthur said the health response to this appeared to be very different with no vaccine, mask or isolation mandates.

“With the flu – we just get on with it like we have every other year and for every other ailment,” she said.

On Wednesday, Ms Thomas announced the changes to face masks, but still defended vaccinations.

Face masks will no longer be required on public transport or in taxis, rideshare services or tourism vehicles but will remain in some circumstances – like visiting a hospital, care facility or any other indoor space that is publicly accessible in a healthcare setting, including allied health providers.

Compliance for mask wearing on public transport has been steadily dropping since the middle of last year, with recent spot checks by the Department of Transport showing less than half of people observe the order, down from about 90 per cent.

“These sensible changes provide consistency for the community on mask wearing requirements and I thank the Chief Health Officer for his advice on this matter,” Ms Thomas said.

“As we move to living with Covid, it’s important we ensure enduring behaviour change in the community – and that means giving people the choice to wear masks to protect themselves and those around them.

“It’s vitally important that Victorians stay up to date with their Covid vaccinations, to help prevent serious illness and to ease pressure on the health system.”

However, Ms McArthur said the vaccine mandates still needed to go.

“The Labor Premier needs to get out of people’s lives … and forced medical procedures off the jobs check list,” she said.

“Enough of this COVID-19 prison state, nanny state and state of despair.”

Total cases for COVID-19 have been falling in the last two months after peaking at 71,428 on July 23, to be under 14 per cent of that figure last week and still falling.

Hospitalisations and death rates in Victoria also continue to decline and similar rate falls are being recorded in other states and territories.

More data can be found at coronavirus.vic.gov.au