Why Llew O’Brien supports Craig Kelly’s fight against vaccination mandates

The Wide Bay MP has defended his sensational decision to cross the floor of Federal Parliament to support a motion from lightning rod MP Craig Kelly opposing vaccine mandates.

MP Llew O’Brien has defended his surprise decision to back lightning rod MP Craig Kelly’s fight against Covid vaccine mandates as a matter of “freedom of speech”.

The Federal Member for Wide Bay sensationally crossed the floor on Wednesday to support Mr Kelly’s motion to suspend parliamentary standing orders to debate his “no passport” bill introduced in June.

The bill would prohibit Commonwealth, State and Territory governments from issuing Covid vaccine passports, and any discrimination by vaccination status.

Mr O’Brien was joined by Dawson MP George Christensen as the only supporters of Mr Kelly’s motion.

In a Facebook post published following after the sittings, Mr O’Brien said “federal parliament belongs to all Australians, not just those who support mandatory vaccination”.

“Thousands of Australians, including police, honest people who have stared death in the eyes to protect their community and who I have worked alongside for years, face being thrown out of their job for not being vaccinated against Covid,” Mr O’Brien said.

“I do not agree that people should lose their job without some form of compensation, be refused entry to hospitals, schools and other social institutions because they have not received a Covid vaccination.

“I am vaccinated, as is my family, as was our choice.

“I also encourage people to get vaccinated, but I will fight to stop any coercive health policy or law that seriously discriminates against people who choose not to have the Covid vaccination.

Llew O’Brien was joined by MP George Christensen in supporting MP Craig Kelly’s attempt to discuss vaccine mandates in Parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Kelly’s motion was swiftly defeated due to lack of numbers.

The Hughes MP has been at the centre of a storm of controversy over his views on Covid and the possible treatment of the virus with Ivermectin, used in humans to treat parasitic worms and head lice.

Mr O’Brien flagged his concerns about the vaccine mandates last week when he left the door open to joining a small but growing rebellion among federal MPs and Senators.

The group included Mr Christensen, who threatened to wreak havoc on the Federal Government by refusing to vote along party lines on all legislation if it did not protect Australians from “vaccine discrimination”.

Without the Dawson MP’s support the Federal Government would need to rely on crossbench or Labor support to pass legislation.

Mr O’Brien said last week timelines needed to be established as to when any vaccine mandate laws would end.

“I’m keeping a close eye on it,” Mr O’Brien said in late November.

“While I’m not in that (rebel) camp at the moment, I am not ruling any future action out.”