Anti COVID vax suspended teacher to run for Capricornia for Liberal Democrats

A high-school teacher suspended for rejecting the Covid vaccine is running to replace Nationals MP Michelle Landry for the mammoth seat of Capricornia.

The Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the seat of Capricornia is an unvaccinated high-school teacher who has refused the Covid vaccine on ‘principle.’

Steve Murphy, an English and History teacher in Yeppoon, says he does not trust the vaccines or government messaging around them.

“I don’t think it has been tested enough,” he said.

“And I see a lot of mixed messages from different medical authorities on it.

“I see our government attempt to silence.

“I see a lot of silencing of opposing narratives and that automatically makes me distrust what is being told.”

Liberal Democrats Capricornia candidate Steve Murphy has been suspended from his job as a teacher for refusing to get vaccinated.

He says he might have secured a medical exemption, but chose not to on a matter of principle.

“I didn’t do that because it was more the principle.

“I didn’t like the idea that the government could tell me what I can and can’t do with my body. I dug my heels in.”

Mr Murphy was suspended from his position last week.

A Queensland Department of Education spokesman said about 98 per cent of the state’s teaching workforce had indicated they were fully vaccinated.

“All Queensland state schools are complying with the requirements of the Covid-19 Vaccination Requirements for Workers in a high-risk setting Direction (No. 2),” the spokesman said.

“Under the requirements of the Direction, teachers who are not vaccinated and do not have a legitimate exemption cannot teach in Queensland schools.

“Letters have been sent to staff who have not confirmed their double vaccination status to provide a valid reason why they should not be suspended from duty without pay.

“Processes and anticipated timeframes related to this are communicated directly with the employee.”

Mr Murphy’s position is at odds with Queensland’s medical consensus, which has concluded the Covid vaccines are safe and effective.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard has also criticised unvaccinated Queenslanders as reckless, and said they were more likely to fill up hospital wards than those who were vaccinated.

“Omicron can definitely put you into an intensive care unit if you’re not vaccinated,” he said.

The Liberal Democrats are a minor right-wing party with staunch libertarian principles. Senate candidate Campbell Newman (left) says the Liberal Democrats fervently oppose vaccine mandates.

Mr Murphy is not married and does not have children and he said this had encouraged him to “step forward” and buck the rules.

“Someone has to do something and I’ve got the least to lose, so I’ll step forward,” he said.

Yeppoon is a hotbed of anti-vaccine and anti-vaccine mandate sentiment.

A town hall in November 2021 with Queensland LNP Senator Matt Canavan and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson drew a crowd of hundreds loudly protesting the state government’s health directives locking out unvaccinated residents from pubs and clubs.

The Liberal Democrats hope to snatch voters alienated by mandates away from the major parties.

Senate candidate and former Queensland premier Campbell Newman said his party would work to “unravel” Covid health regulations if it gained enough power at the election.

Mr Murphy, a staunch libertarian, claimed the Liberal Democrats were the most “freedom-loving” of the minor parties.

He said the party’s flat tax rate of 20 per cent would offer people certainty.

He also said he wants to reform Queensland’s education system to give more power to parents.

“Parents should be better informed about the education of their children,” he said.

Mr Murphy fronts up against Russell Robertson, the Labor candidate, and Nationals MP Michelle Landry, for the massive Central Queensland electorate.