Scott Morrison reprimands Craig Kelly over vaccine views

Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly has backed down in a dispute over treatments for COVID-19 after a clash with Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek and a reprimand from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Kelly issued a statement of support for vaccination after Ms Plibersek confronted him in Parliament House over his disputed claims, telling him he was putting public health at risk.

A series of photos showing Labor MP Tanya Plibersek and Liberal MP Craig Kelly having a robust discussion as they cross paths in the corridor of Parliament House’s press gallery.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Ms Plibersek, a former health minister, warned Mr Kelly that his comments could spread doubt about vaccines and leave people exposed to those who were carrying the coronavirus.

“My Mum lives in your electorate and I don’t want her exposed to people who are not going to be vaccinated because of these crazy conspiracy theories that you’re spreading,” Ms Plibersek said.

Media coverage of the clash sparked anger in Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s office and led to Mr Kelly being called for what a government source described as a dressing down.

Mr Morrison told Mr Kelly he could not support his actions and wanted him to refrain from pushing views that were contrary to health advice, the source said.

In a statement soon afterwards, Mr Kelly confirmed the meeting and said he agreed to support the government’s vaccine rollout.

“I have always sought to support the success of our nation’s public health response during the pandemic,” he said.

The dispute between Mr Kelly and Ms Plibersek occurred in the press gallery corridor on Wednesday morning when the two were speaking to journalists and doing television interviews.

Mr Kelly defended himself by citing the work of immunologist Robert Clancy, an Emeritus Professor at Newcastle University, in favour of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as treatments for COVID-19.

Professor Clancy told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Tuesday that studies had shown hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin worked, but Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said last month there was not enough evidence to show they should be used.

Mr Kelly told Ms Plibersek that she was the one spreading misinformation.

“So your Prime Minister is wrong, is he?” Ms Plibersek asked.

“No, the Prime Minister is 100 per cent right,” Mr Kelly said.

“Scott Morrison agrees with you, does he Craig?” she asked.

The government has been unable to curb Mr Kelly even though his public claims are at odds with the official health advice from Professor Kelly and the former chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, now secretary of the Health Department.

Mr Morrison telephoned Mr Kelly shortly before question time on Tuesday to ask him about his views, knowing Labor would ask the government to condemn the backbencher.

“Of course the Prime Minister wanted to hear it directly from my voice, that I am not an anti-vaxxer and I support the government on the vaccine rollout,” Mr Kelly told journalists after his dispute with Ms Plibersek.

“He wanted to hear those words from my mouth.”

Mr Kelly said Mr Morrison did not ask him in the phone call to stop speaking as he wished and did not criticise him for appearing on a podcast with Pete Evans, the celebrity chef who was removed from Facebook for spreading misinformation about the pandemic.

Mr Kelly said Mr Morrison did not say he was unhappy with his public remarks.

“It was a very short conversation because he wanted to make sure he had clarified my position before he went into question time,” Mr Kelly said.

Once those comments were aired, Mr Morrison called Mr Kelly in for a face-to-face talk on Wednesday morning in which the Prime Minister said he could not support the backbencher’s views or actions.

Mr Kelly said he did not oppose vaccination, had a flu shot every year and would make a decision about the COVID-19 vaccines after a consultation with his doctor.

“I’m absolutely not an anti-vaxxer. I’ve had my photograph taken with my local doctor, I’ve had my photograph taken with my local chemist having a flu vaccination shot,” he said.

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid last month warned about Mr Kelly’s “crackpot” ideas, and the MP has been rebuked by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Ms Plibersek later told 2GB radio host Ray Hadley she was worried about her mother, aged almost 90, and others who could be exposed to people who refused to be vaccinated.

“I’m also thinking about the local coffee shop she’s sitting in – they’re at half capacity now because of this terrible pandemic and the economic toll it’s taken,” she said.

“I want things back to normal as quickly as possible and the fastest way back to normal is to get the majority of the population vaccinated as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Hadley said Mr Kelly should change his approach even if he did not change his mind.

“As well-intended as Craig may be from time to time, I think he’s got this one horribly wrong, and I just wish he’d drop off,” he said.

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