George Christensen’s anti-lockdown rant in parliament

Rogue Liberal-National Party MP George Christensen has declared “masks don’t work and lockdowns don’t work” on the floor of Parliament.

Rogue Liberal-National Party MP George Christensen has declared “masks don’t work and lockdowns don’t work” on the floor of Parliament demanding an end to “the madness” of Covid 19.

The outburst prompted a furious rebuke from Labor leader Anthony Albanese in question time, after he warned the Queensland MP’s speech was a disgrace to the people who died in the last 24 hours.

Mr Christensen has been increasingly vocal in recent weeks over the issue of vaccine passports raising the prospect he might move to the cross bench or split with the Coalition if there’s a vote on the issue.

“Will the madness end? How many more freedoms will we lose due to fear of a virus, which has a survivability rate of 997 out of 1000,’’ Mr Christensen said.

“It’s time we stopped spreading fear and acknowledge some facts.

“Masks do not work. Fact. It has been proven that masks make no significant difference in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

“Lockdowns don’t work. Fact. Lock downs don’t destroy the virus but they do destroy people’s livelihoods and people’s lives. Studies have shown they can even increase mortality rates”

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the comments were a disgrace.

Mr Albanese accused Mr Christensen of supporting “dangerous remedies which are completely, completely contradictory to the scientific advice”.

He accused the Queensland MP of insulting the sacrifices Australian “heroes” had made to keep their loved ones safe.

“They sacrificed, they stayed at home. They have kept safe from each other,’’ he said.

“For a member of the house of Representatives, as the member for Dawson did, to attend a rally in Mackay, supporting these violent demonstrations that took place is an insult to those heroes of the pandemic and that is why this motion recognises our scientists, our doctors and nurses, our aged care and disability workers, our cleaners, our truck drivers, our supermarket workers who have made all of those sacrifices to keep us safe.”

Mr Christensen has also been encouraging Queensland voters to join him on “freedom rallies”.

“Domestic vaccine passports are a form of discrimination. Fact. We are all human beings. Nobody should be restricted from everyday life because of their medical choices, especially when vaccinated people can still catch and spread COVID-19,’’ he said.

“Our posturing politicians - many over there - the sensationalist media elite and the dictatorial medical bureaucrats need to recognise these facts and stop spreading fear.

“COVID-19 is going to be with us forever, just like the flu and just like the flu, we will have to live with it, not in constant fear of it.

“Some people will catch it. Some people will tragically die from it. That’s inevitable and we have to accept it.

“Open society back up, restore our freedoms and this madness.”

In a statement to NCA NewsWire last week, the Dawson Liberal National Party MP said he had made his views clear to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Coalition party room on Tuesday.

“I’ve told the Prime Minister as recently as the party room meeting yesterday that we should not be pushing for the invasion of people’s medical privacy by enabling businesses to ask staff and customers to confirm their vaccination,” Mr Christensen said.

“We should not be pushing for discrimination against Australian citizens who choose not to undergo a particular medical treatment, and that means we shouldn’t be allowing the refusal of employment or service because someone hasn’t been vaccinated.

“This is a matter of principle for me and if there is any enabling legislation that has to come forward I will not be supporting it.”

Mr Morrison has previously told Parliament that Mr Christensen had a right to free speech.

“I don’t share the views of the Member for Dawson on that matter, I don’t. I have been very clear about that but I tell you what, in this country people have a right to free speech,” he said.

“That is not something that the government is seeking to clamp down on.”