‘Not true’: Expert rips MP George Christensen’s claims to shreds

An expert has torn anti-lockdown and anti-mask claims from outspoken MP George Christensen to shreds.

Australia’s top covid experts have slammed Liberal-National Party MP George Christensen’s “dangerous” claim that “masks don’t work and lockdowns don’t work”.

As the Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed “crazy rubbish conspiracy theories” in Parliament, experts have moved to fact check the misinformation.

Former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth has debunked the rogue MP’s claims in a new video for news.com.au starting with his claim that masks don’t work.

“It’s not true. Masks do work because every time we exhale or speak or shout, sing or cough or sneeze, we’ve got bacteria and viruses coming out of out mouths,’’ he said.

“As soon as you put the mask on that means bacteria and viruses can go less further and infect less people. We’ve got really good evidence that masks do work in reducing the transmission of Covid 19.”

Dr Coatsworth said vaccines clearly did reduce transmission even if some people who are vaccinated can still be infected with Covid.

“Vaccines definitely work to cut transmission,’’ Dr Coatsworth said.

“Does it do it completely? No, it doesn’t but it does reduce the amount of people that you spread the virus to. So get yourself vaccinated and protect your community from covid.”

As for lockdowns, he said they were still the frontline defence until there was a greater proportion of the community vaccinated.

“Lockdowns are incredibly difficult socially and economically. They do work though against Covid-19. They won’t be there forever. But with this Delta strain they have to be there now.”

In Parliament, the Prime Minister again moved to disassociate himself from claims that masks don’t work.

Dr Nick Coatsworth has fact checked George Christensen’s speech.

Outspoken MP George Christensen ranted about anti-covid policies in parliament on Tuesday.

“Crazy rubbish conspiracies have no place when it comes to the public health of this country and this government will have no association with it as we demonstrated yesterday in this House,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“Ensuring that we take all steps we can to deal with misinformation is what this government is doing, and is up to

all of us as members to seek to do everything we can make sure we are countering that in our own community.”

Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely said it was important that people had “the facts.”

“The Lancet found an 80 per cent reduction in transmission for viruses pre-Covid when using masks,’’ he said.

While that figure is likely lower for Covid because it is so infectious, using masks definitely helps reduce transmission.

“We mass masked on the same day in Melbourne during the second wave and because of that experiment we know that we saw a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in the effective reproduction rate,’’ Prof Blakely said.

“The evidence that masks help is incontrovertible.

“On lockdowns, the evidence is overwhelming. You don’t have be to be a rocket scientist to look at the beginning of the pandemic . It slows it or turns it.”

In relation to vaccinated people still being able to spread the virus Prof Blakely said there was “an element of truth” but it still reduced transmission.

“It reduces hospitalisation and death. But as far as your chance of getting any infection, Pfizer probably reduces it by 80 per cent and AstraZeneca by 60 per cent. But even if you get infected you’re less likely to pass it on. It helps reduce transmission.”

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce revealed on Wednesday that he had spoken to the MP but he admitted the chance of him stopping his campaign was “near zero.”

“I’ve had conversations with him - that doesn’t mean he’s a slave of anybody,” Mr Joyce told ABC radio.

Deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud said he was comfortable with him remaining in the Nationals Party room at this stage but he didn’t agree with his views.

Anthony Albanese went on the attack against George Christensen during Question Time on Tuesday.

“The fact that all National Party House of Representatives members sat and supported that motion is a very powerful and public message that we do not support George on this,” he told the ABC.

Mr Christensen, who has announced he’s quitting Parliament at the next election, 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”

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.

“I’ll tell you what madness is. Madness is saying let this disease rip, let people die, let whole economies be shut down. Let’s stop us being able to return to our way of life,” 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 Morrison supported a motion in Parliament this week to reject Mr Christensen’s claims.

However, he 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.”