SAS Australia: Pete Murray vaccination message for Byron Bay

Pete Murray has issued a strong message to the people living in his home town of Byron Bay, where many are unvaccinated against Covid-19.

Singer Pete Murray has called on his largely unvaccinated hometown of Byron Bay to get the Covid-19 jab.

The award-winning musician is vaccinated and believes it is the only way out of the pandemic.

“I understand there is a lot of fear about it, especially up here, there is a lot more people that don’t want to get vaccinated,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

Singer and SAS Australia contestant Pete Murray is urging people to get vaccinated.

“But we are lucky because we haven’t had it come through here. If it did come through, and a lot of people got sicker and people were dying, that might change people’s opinions.”

Byron Bay and surrounding townships are under pressure to increase vaccination rates as they have been criticised for languishing behind other parts of the state.

In the Byron Shire just 31 per cent of residents are double dosed and 55 per cent have had one dose.

By contrast much of Sydney’s north and west is now above 85 per cent single dose and two thirds fully vaccinated.

Murray is one of several high profile residents who lives in the beachside hamlet.

And while he said he “couldn’t stand” a career in politics, he adds “we are at a point now where we have to get back” to normal life.

“That is the challenge now,” he said.

“The government has set the rules and we do have to get vaccinated. I am vaccinated, that is something that I had to do. If I don’t, I am not going to be working.”

The 51-year-old, who has released a new single titled Hold Me Steady, has four children — newborn Sahara, Saatchi, three, Pedro, 14, and Charlie, 17.

He had no adverse reaction to the Covid vaccine.

Pete Murray with his baby daughter Sahara at home in Byron Bay.

Pete Murray on SAS Australia. Picture: Jeremy Grieve

“It is a hard thing but it is difficult to force people to have this as well,” he said.

“At the same time, it feels like we may not move forward. It is a tough one.”

Murray, a contestant on Seven reality show SAS Australia, also called on governments to open borders to allow for travel across Australia so he and other entertainers can tour and play live shows.

“The music industry has been hit really hard, we are the first to stop and the last to come back,” he said.

“Sorry to get all political but there needs to be something from the state governments where they stop closing the borders. Once you close borders, artists tour around the country and we just can’t do it. We are really struggling financially. We are one country, we can’t just keep operating as separate states.”