2021-01-13
The Greens have called upon the Prime Minister to boot Craig Kelly from his role chairing a parliamentary committee, following weeks of disinformation intended to undermine the medical response to coronavirus.
In the two weeks in 2021, Craig Kelly has said mandatory masks were an act of “child abuse”, spread climate conspiracy, blamed ‘Antifa’ for the Washington attacks, said the NSW Liberals were pushing a vaccine ‘scare campaign’, suggested Australia should ‘debate’ vaccination, and suggested that the cures for COVID could be betadine, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectine.
Craig Kelly is currently the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, a role that confers an additional $23,000 each year on top of his backbenchers’ salary.
“Craig Kelly’s wackjob conspiracy theories have gone too far, for too long. Scott Morrison must put his foot down,” acting leader of the Australian Greens Senator Nick McKim said.
“This isn’t just about what should be acceptable to post on social media. Craig Kelly is undermining trust in the government’s response to COVID-19 - potentially jeopardizing our ability to reach herd immunity. He’s also lied about the attack on the Capitol Building, trying to blame ‘Antifa’ for Trump’s violent and chaotic riots.
“He is a Liberal MP and in the eyes of many Australians, speaks for the government. Yet, he hasn’t been disciplined by anyone in power.
“It’s tough to demote a man who’s too incompetent to have ever been promoted, but there is a way. Morrison must boot Craig Kelly from his committee chair position.
“If you spread disinformation about an armed insurrection and encourage breaking laws that protect public health, you have no place assessing Australia’s law enforcement. Craig Kelly must be dumped.
“Morrison and Kelly have a history. The Prime Minister personally intervened to stop Liberal branch members from being able to boot Craig Kelly out.
“Every time that Craig Kelly spruiks medical quackery to the Australian people, convinces people to not follow public health orders, lies about climate science or boosts Trump’s fringe conspiracies, that’s on Scott Morrison’s shoulders.
“The farce needs to end now. Scott Morrison must encourage the other Liberal members of the committee to force a vote to pick a new committee chair. With the guy in charge spreading debunked conspiracy theories day on day, no one can argue he’s sufficiently analytical and critical enough to have an independent oversight role of Australia’s law enforcement.”