Chaos as MP crosses floor and rebels secure vax mandate win

Chaos has continued to envelop the Federal Government as outgoing MP George Christensen crossed the floor.

Rebel Coalition senators running a vote blockade over vaccine mandates have secured a win from the Federal Government, while proposed religious discrimination laws has opened up a new front for division for Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

It comes as Member for Dawson George Christensen followed through on a threat to cross floor and vote against the Government, shortly after urging “civil disobedience” over vaccine mandates and comparing premiers to Stalin, Mao, Hitler and Pol Pot.

Queensland senator Gerard Rennick secured a win in his demand for action on vaccine mandates, and says he is seeking more before he will vote for his own government’s legislation again.

Member for Dawson George Christensen followed through on a threat to cross the floor. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

He agreed to vote with the Government on procedural motions after it agreed to drop the threshold for compensation claims related to adverse impacts of vaccine from $5000 to $1000.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the change had been considered for a number of weeks and thanked his colleagues who contributed to the decision.

Senator Rennick said discussions were ongoing and he was anticipating a phone call with a legal adviser from the Prime Minister’s office regarding constitutional issues preventing the Commonwealth from intervening in the state government restrictions.

“What I’m trying to do is achieve a positive outcome for the Australian people,” he said.

“Some people think I’m trying to throw rocks, which I’m not doing.”

Mr Christensen crossed the floor to vote with Labor on a bill seeking to reform class actions, though the government still narrowly won with crossbench support.

Earlier he had used parliament to accuse state premiers of trying to “out-tyrant” each other regarding restrictions on unvaccinated people.

“The solution is a rediscovery of human dignity along with and I don’t say this lightly civil disobedience,” he said.

LNP senator Gerard Rennick won a concession from the government over his vaccine mandate concerns. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would condemn “anyone, in any place” for encouraging acts of civil disobedience.

There have also been concerns raised by some moderate Coalition MPs over the religious discrimination Bill, which Mr Morrison will introduce to the Parliament tomorrow.

Despite the Bill being released yesterday, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said he “hasn’t seen it yet” so doesn’t have a position just yet.

Labor is trying to court religious voters, after they were spooked in 2019.