"Simply ignore him."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That's the Prime Minister's advice about George Christensen and his concerted dangerous and unwise anti-vaccination push that he most probably wishes he could abide by as well.
But the soon to retire Queensland LNP backbencher does not want to be ignored. He is building up a potentially lucrative alternative media career which depends on being listened to.
There's no doubt about it, the outgoing Member for Dawson will be deliberately controversial until he steps down from politics. And beyond.
Why? Because, even against the best medical advice, he can.
There's no government appetite to make a gold-plated anti-vax martyr and the government has a big problem with numbers. Mr Christensen's position is needed to hold onto the one seat majority. Not letting that go in a hurry.
And Mr Christensen is not alone in the government ranks with his "dangerous" views.
Labor, with a keen eye on the numbers, wants him out of the Coalition party room and says suggestions to ignore him are not good enough.
"I gotta say, this was just Scott Morrison again, getting the wet lettuce out and having a bit of a fling at George with absolutely no effect," Labor senator Murray Watt said. "I mean, the comments that Scott Morrison keeps making are weaker than a shandy down at the Burleigh Pavilion."
So, even after world No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic was booted from Australia for his anti-vaccination views, the effrontery continues.
The latest is the car crash spectacle of an Australian government MP pleading with parents to "Do NOT vax your children" in the midst of a global deadly pandemic.
Just as unvaccinated people start to flood the nation's hospitals and Australia experiences day after day of most deadly days when it comes to COVID.
MORE NEWS:
Let's be clear, Mr Christensen is trading on his position. As an example, at the bottom of his anti-vaccination Facebook posts he states that they are authorised by, "George Christensen MP, Liberal National Party."
It is fair enough to try to ignore people we don't agree with if we can, but it has to be questioned whether Australians can ignore people who make decisions for us.
George Christensen is a member of the federal government and that position carries weight and heavy responsibility.
Mr Morrison stated Mr Christensen "in no way whatsoever influenced government policy" while also saying look away.
Mr Christensen's position as Chair of Parliament's Joint Standing Committee for Trade and Investment Growth is now under review. Mr Morrison has spoken to Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce about it. If anything, Mr Joyce has appeared to have had less appetite than Mr Morrison to do anything about the Member for Dawson.
All along, Australians have been wanting people in power to save them from the pandemic and they have given up a lot and been let down.
We had this concession from Scott Morrison on Wednesday.
"No response is perfect, I can assure you of that. There's no country in the world that can claim that, including Australia or any of the states and territories. They would readily agree," he told reporters.
"But all leaders everywhere are doing everything they can to support their citizens and their populations to get through this as best as we can."
The coming election will be a referendum on the handling of COVID-19 and, in the lead up, every day and in every way Australians will want more.
And like the pandemic itself, it will be relentless.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram