Fact check: False claim that Australia is freezing bank accounts of unvaccinated

McKenzie Sadeghi, USA TODAY
·4 min read

The claim: Australians unvaccinated against COVID-19 will have their bank accounts frozen

As countries across the globe take different approaches to vaccinate people against COVID-19, some social media users claim the Australian government is targeting citizens' bank accounts.

“Australia PM of Victoria is free/zing people’s bank accts who haven’t had the V, they can’t buy or sell until forced into submission,” reads an Oct. 31 Facebook post that accumulated more than 300 reactions within a few days.

Similar versions of the claim, which specifically mention Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews, have been shared on Rumble, Twitter, Reddit and YouTube, where one video accumulated more than 29,000 views within nearly two weeks.

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It's true that some states in Australia have considered garnishing bank accounts. But that action is aimed at collecting unpaid COVID-19 fines, not punishing those who are unvaccinated against the virus.

USA TODAY reached out to social media users who shared the claim for comment.

Australia is not freezing bank accounts of unvaccinated

The Facebook post wrongly conflates the enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates with the collection of fines associated with other pandemic-related rules.

In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for Australia's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said the claim in the post is wrong.

"The Australian government is not freezing the bank accounts of people who do not get vaccinated against coronavirus," the statement says.

A resident receives a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Australia's first drive-through vaccination center in the outer Melbourne, Australia suburb of Melton on August 10, 2021.
A resident receives a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Australia's first drive-through vaccination center in the outer Melbourne, Australia suburb of Melton on August 10, 2021.

There is no nationwide COVID-19 vaccine requirement in Australia, but some businesses and states have their own mandates in place.

The Victoria government released an order Oct. 1 requiring 1.25 million authorized workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of November. Andrews said those who fall under the order and refuse to get vaccinated will not be allowed to go to work, according to the Guardian.

Andrews' order makes no mention of freezing bank accounts. It says residents who fail to meet the requirement will not be fined. However, fines may be issued to people who provide false or misleading vaccination records.

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The confusion on social media appears to stem from measures the government in Queensland, a different state, is taking against citizens who haven't paid fines for violating other pandemic-related rules.

According to state rules, Queensland residents and corporations can be fined thousands of dollars for intentionally sneezing or coughing on a public official or worker. People who refuse police direction to wear a face mask can be fined $206.

The State Penalties Enforcement Registry is tracking down 3,046 unpaid fines totaling $5.2 million, according to an Australian news site owned by News Corp.

The tactics officials may use include: garnishing bank accounts or wages, suspending driver’s licenses and registering charges over property. Wage garnishment is a legal procedure in which a court permits a creditor to collect money from someone's bank account or salary to repay a debt.

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Starting in December, unvaccinated people in Queensland could be banned from attending certain venues, according to ABC Australia. They will also only be able to enter hospitals in emergency situations.

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But USA TODAY could find no evidence of Australian states levying fines against citizens who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that Australians unvaccinated against COVID-19 will have their bank accounts frozen. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said the claim is not true.

In Victoria, authorized workers who do not get vaccinated will not be able to return to work. Citizens and businesses in Queensland who have unpaid COVID-19 fines, not unvaccinated people, could have their bank accounts garnished.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Australia not freezing unvaccinated people's bank accounts