PM ‘behaving like Trump’, Wayne Swan claims in blistering attack
Scott Morrison has been blasted by ALP heavyweight Wayne Swan over comments made about vaccination mandates in several states.
NSW
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Scott Morrison has been accused of behaving like Donald Trump by a Labor heavyweight over comments about vaccine mandates.
The PM declared on Thursday states and territories needed to let Australians “take their lives back” once they reached 80 per cent double dose vaccination, criticising tough mandates in some states.
But Labor National President and federal MP Wayne Swan slammed the PM’s comments on breakfast television this morning.
Mr Swan told The Today Show Mr Morrison was “pandering” to political extremists to curry favour ahead of next year‘s federal election.
He accused the Prime Minister of “undermining” Queensland and WA‘s ongoing vaccination push.
“I think the PM is behaving like Donald Trump … he is pandering to political extremists for political gain,” Mr Swan said.
“He‘s undermining the vaccine rollout in Queensland … Queensland and WA have done so well through all of the last 18 months but at every stage the Prime Minister has set out to undermine both Premiers.”
He added: “The vaccine mandates that were announced here have led to a surge in vaccinations … in the middle of that the Prime Minister chooses to get stuck into the Premier about these issues. It‘s very odd. I think it’s pretty desperate.
Mr Swan also accused the PM of getting “stuck into” QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
It comes as Mr Morrison took aim at Queensland for their strict vaccination mandate, which bars unvaccinated people from all but essential retailers and services.
“They should be able to go get a cup of coffee in Brisbane when you are
over 80% (double dose), regardless of whether you have had the vaccines or not,“ he said on Thursday.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton stood by the PM’s comments soon after, telling The Today Show they were “perfectly sensible”.
“I think the Prime Minister has made a perfectly sensible remark here,” Mr Dutton said on Friday.
“To say a small proportion of society will never be able to go to a coffee shop or restaurant again... I just think you cannot segregate a part of the community, even if you disagree with the decision they‘ve made.”
Anti-vaxxer protesters have gathered across several states in the past week, including incidents where an effigy of VIC Premier Daniel Andrews was hung by a noose outside parliament and WA Premier Mark McGowan had to close his office after he and staff received a slew of violent threats.
Mr McGowan also weighed in on the war of words, accusing the PM of trying to “score points” with anti-vaxxer voters.
“There should be no walking on both sides of the fence, we can’t have anyone trying to score points with the anti-vaxxers or dog-whistling to them,” Mr McGowan said on Thursday.
“We just need to all be on the same page that we get everyone vaccinated, we come out of this as unscathed as possible, and we avoid the mass deaths that have occurred in other countries.“
Originally published as PM ‘behaving like Trump’, Wayne Swan claims in blistering attack
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