Anti-vaccination doctor’s dangerous Covid claims exposed

A Melbourne doctor is behind a push against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations, telling anti-jab activists he wants to go public with his message.

A Melbourne doctor was used as a poster boy to promote last weekend’s chaotic city rally against mandatory vaccination.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal North Sunshine GP Mark Hobart has also come to the attention of medical authorities after recently appearing as a guest on anti-vax conspiracy theory web forums to air concerns about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines and push for a “public movement”.

Dr Hobart has told activists he decided to go public with his concerns after writing to Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on May 7 and not getting a reply.

In the rambling letter to Prof Sutton, Dr Hobart made several unsubstantiated claims, including warning of dangers in vaccinating aged care residents who have already been exposed to the coronavirus.

Dr Mark Hobart.

The Saturday Herald Sun has chosen not to repeat the claims in the letter.

The doctor was billed as a speaker in promotional material for last Saturday’s Millions March, in which police made 14 arrests.

Dr Hobart told the Saturday Herald Sun he did not support vaccination of people against their will. He said he had given hundreds of flu jabs over the years but this was always the patient’s choice.

Though vaccination is not compulsory in Australia, Dr Hobart said he had been approached by nurses who had been told they would not get shifts if they were not vaccinated.

“I support the principle of people not having to be forced to have a medical treatment against their will,” Dr Hobart said.

After Dr Hobart’s online interview and planned rally attendance were raised with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, a spokeswoman confirmed it would consider the material, but said privacy provisions prevented it discussing if individuals were being investigated.

Police at the Millions March against mandatory Covid vaccinations rally at Flagstaff Gardens. Picture: Alex Coppel

“We expect all health practitioners to use their professional judgment and the best available evidence in practice. This includes when providing information to the public about public health issues such as Covid-19 and vaccination,” she said.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said it was irresponsible for any medical worker to encourage anti-vaccine conspiracies.

“It is completely irresponsible for clinicians – entrusted with the health of our community – to ignore the science and encourage people not to be vaccinated,” Mr Foley said.

“There is no debate around immunisation. The science is clear: vaccinations save lives.”

In a May 13 interview with Morgan C Jonas for his Facebook program the MCJ Report, Dr Hobart praised the conspiracy theorist for his “excellent” work and called on his followers to email Prof Sutton, ministers and MPs to build pressure.

Police restrain a protester at an anti-vaccination rally in Flagstaff Gardens. Picture: Alex Coppel

“If we can spread this message like this, to as many people as we can, then we hopefully will get some public movement going, increase the understanding of the people,” Dr Hobart said.

After disclosing his belief that one of his aged care patients died after being denied treatment with hydroxychloroquine, Dr Hobart asked for that section of the interview to be cut. However it was still included in the 32-minute online package.

“I’ve got to be a little bit careful what I say because I am not allowed to talk about these things – maybe you can cut it out,” Dr Hobart told Mr Jonas. He later continued: “Then I found out all the other irregularities through that, the inappropriate use of PCR tests and all the funny ways they were counting the cases of coronavirus deaths.”

Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid would not comment on the actions of one doctor, but reinforced the severity of Covid-19 and that the best protection was “the very safe and effective vaccines available in Australia”.

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