Man knocks staff, jabs himself: cops

NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the man pushed the medical worker’s hands away as they went to administer the jab at the Coolalinga vaccination clinic in Darwin.

“A gentleman appeared there, indicating he was not overly happy with the process. That caused a bit of a disturbance,” Mr Chalker said.

“He grabbed the needle and injected himself.”

The commissioner said it was not appropriate behaviour and would not be tolerated.

“Vaccination staff are there to help you. They shouldn’t be subject to that type of behaviour.

“We understand it can be a frustrating time for people, but they’re not the people to vent your frustration.”

However, the man told NT News he “didn’t assault anyone … didn’t push a hand away”.

“I grabbed the needle and they took three steps back, which I’d expect from trained health staff,” he told the publication.

“All I did was stick it in myself and put it in the biohazard bin. Then I left the clinic.

“Now they’re refusing to update my status.”

The man, who did not want his name published, said he did not support the NT government’s vaccine mandate but chose to receive the jab in order to travel interstate to see his estranged son.

He said he’d made desperate attempts to see his son over the past two years but had been unable to due to Covid.

“I just want to see my boy,” the man told NT News, in tears.

He said he wrote “under duress” on his consent form and claims staff refused to administer the vaccine as a result, urging him instead to fill out a new form without using those words.

The man said when he received his first dose, he wrote the same thing on the consent form and it was accepted.

He was issued an infringement notice for disorderly behaviour.

Originally published as Man who injected himself with Covid jab ‘opposes mandate but wanted to see estranged son’