George Christensen returns to politics as Mackay council candidate
An ex-NRL star has recruited the former Nationals party whip to run for his local council team — and Christensen insists he’s not there as a One Nation man.
Mackay
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George Christensen could be making a return to politics in his home town of Mackay, returning to running as a councillor after four terms in federal politics.
The four term MP confirmed his candidacy for the Mackay Regional Council in an interview with the Daily Mercury, running as part of Steve ‘Jacko’ Jackson’s Mackay First team.
“Jacko approached me last year and I just thought the time was right,” said Mr Christensen.
Almost two years on since his last federal election, Christensen still thinks he’s got a “spark” for being involved.
“I joined Team Jacko because Jacko is a rugby league great, they know him as the chicken shop man, he’s employed hundreds of locals and given back to the community in spades.
“I like Jacko. He’s plain speaking and down to earth and his heart is clearly in the job.”
Born to a family of cane farmers — including father and fellow council candidate Ian Christensen — George Christensen joined the Young Nationals at the age of 15 and subsequently worked on a number of community newspapers in Central Queensland and the Pioneer Valley.
In 2004 Mr Christensen found his first role in government in the Mackay City Council under mayor Julie Boyd, but he would leave council to campaign for the seat of Dawson, retaining the seat for the LNP.
After being elected as the Federal Member for Dawson in 2010, he worked on a number of advocacy campaigns, including a campaign to attain greater funding for maintenance of the Bruce Highway in North Queensland.
During his time in parliament, Mr Christensen was vocal about his denial of climate change, opposition to abortion and his criticism of the COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccinations.
He’s also frequently and publicly denounced Islam, calling for a ban on burqas and hijabs in 2014 and again in 2017.
Christensen has denied having any issue with Islam, instead claiming that his issue was with “radical” Islam.
“One of the things I love about Australia is it’s religious freedom,” he said.
“It’s wrong to crack down on anyone’s beliefs whatever you might be.”
When asked if he thought that his proposed burqa ban could infringe on someone's religious freedom he said, “I think it’s a question of security.”
Christensen went on to point out that in Malaysia some government buildings do not allow the wearing of burqas.
“You can’t ban the burqa in the Mackay regional council”, he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic he spoke at anti-lockdown protests in Mackay, and said in parliament that masks and lockdowns “would not work”, for which he was unanimously censured by his own party and the opposition.
“That’s all well and truly past us,” said Christensen.
“Covid is a memory for most people.”
Christensen attributed his anti-lockdown rhetoric to being “aggrieved by job losses”.
In 2021 Christensen publicly told parents not to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, which he would be diagnosed with in 2022.
Christensen said that his daughter has all her vaccines and that he has no “negative view” of childhood vaccines.
Since 2017 he has made media appearances with fringe far-right figures, including Alex Jones, who was recently fined more than US$1.4bn after spreading lies about the Sandy Hook massacre.
During his downtime from politics, Mr Christensen has been working part-time as a copywriter for the ultraconservative Spanish not-for-profit CitizenGo, which has promoted campaigns against abortion, supported a Russian law that tried to “protect children from gay propaganda” and opposed decriminalising homosexuality in Kenya.
In addition to working as a copywriter for CitizenGo, Christensen has been enjoying spending time with his family and “having fun as a dad”.
Mackay mayor Greg Williamson commented on Mr Christensen’s candidacy saying, “Whilst people are able to do whatever they want to do, I find it strange for someone to want to move from the federal parliament back to local government, having been there before.
“I think he might get bored.”
While still being a “rank and file” member of One Nation, Christensen said he’s not representing the party in council, that he has no intention to return to state or federal government, only Team Jackson.
“At the same time, I’m not a lackey,” he said.
“I’m not anyone’s lackey.”
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