Liberal senator Alex Antic taken to medi-hotel by police over vaccination status

Scott Morrison has revealed he was “surprised” that a Liberal senator was detained and locked up in a medi-hotel for the unvaccinated.

Scott Morrison has revealed he was “surprised” that a Liberal senator was detained and locked up in a medi-hotel for the unvaccinated on Thursday night because he believed he had been doubled vaccinated.

The Prime Minister has revealed that the basis of his belief was that he’d discussed with Senator Alex Antic that he was double vaxxed and “he didn’t correct me”.

“I’m disappointed that that was unclear. And I’m glad that it’s been resolved,” Mr Morrison said.

“It was certainly my understanding that he’d been double vaccinated. And I had discussed vaccinations and made it very clear that that’s what I understood him to be, double vaccinated. So I was surprised.”

Mr Antic has been thrown into a medi-hotel in Adelaide and locked up for a fortnight as he refuses to disclose his vaccination status.

He was photographed being led away by police late on Friday to a medi-hotel for unvaccinated travellers, but is still playing coy over his vaccination status.

Mr Morrison said last week that Mr Antic was double vaccinated.

“As you know Alex is vaccinated. And he’s double vaccinated,’’ Mr Morrison said.

Senator Alex Antic has refused to disclose his vaccination status, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison alleges he is double-jabbed. Picture: Dean Martin

Mr Antic was seen being escorted by police who placed him in a medi-hotel for unvaccinated travellers. Picture: Dean Martin.

Despite Mr Morrison declaring that the SA senator was “double vaccinated”, the campaigner against vaccine mandates has found himself locked up for two weeks after returning to South Australia in a medi-hotel reserved for the unvaccinated.

He’s now refusing to say whether he’s vaccinated or not, but insists he never misled the Prime Minister over his vaccination status.

But it’s not clear whether it’s a stunt to highlight the rules that require travellers to hand over their vaccine status, if indeed Senator Antic is vaccinated.

If he is vaccinated and disclosed it to SA Health, he would not be required to isolate at a medi-hotel for 14 days.

Senator Antic has caused chaos in Parliament this week, refusing to vote on key government legislation until the Prime Minister takes action over state-based vaccine mandates.

Speaking on ABC Radio Adelaide on Friday, Senator Antic said he was ultimately told he needed to go into a medi-hotel but refused to say why, suggesting that was a “very good question.”

The Liberal Senator has been vocal in his objection towards state-based vaccine mandates. Picture: The Advertiser/ Morgan Sette.

“I’m now surrounded by Covid in a medi-hotel and that’s alarming,” he said.

“I’ve been a person who has been very, very vocal about mandates, vaccine passports, discrimination, government overreach and bureaucratic overreach.

“I’ve been very clear about my medical history and my medical care is a matter for myself and my family. My wife and my three-month-child are now at home for another two weeks without me.

“Now all of a sudden I seem to have been singled out in what appears to be a political stunt and the only inference you can really draw from this is this has been quite premeditated.”

The Liberal Government in South Australia is led by SA Premier Steve Marshall, who is in the same party as Senator Antic.

Senator Antic has previously been allowed to quarantine at home for two weeks after returning from Canberra but when he applied this time he was refused.

The rules changed in late November, requiring travellers to disclose their vaccine status to enter SA, or isolate themselves at a medi hotel.

Originally published as Liberal senator Alex Antic taken to medi-hotel by police over vaccination status