Barnaby Joyce lashes George Christensen over US conspiracy show appearance

Barnaby Joyce has reprimanded George Christensen for encouraging protests outside Australian embassies over Covid-19 restrictions.

MP George Christensen denied claims he called for civil unrest after the PM delivered the Religious Discrimination Bill in the House of Representatives in Parliament House Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Barnaby Joyce has reprimanded Nationals MP George Christensen for urging the audience of a right-wing commentator’s web series to protest outside Australian embassies over Covid-19 restrictions.

The Deputy PM made the comments after Mr Christensen – who will leave federal politics at the next election – appeared on a web series hosted by far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who has been banned by Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for breaching hate speech policies.

During the episode, Mr Christensen laughed when Mr Jones likened Australia’s quarantine facilities to Auschwitz because they both had “big fences”. Mr Jones also described footage of the police presence at anti-vaccination protests around the country as the “Australian version of Tiananmen Square”.

Mr Joyce said he had contacted Mr Christensen twice overnight “to affirm that any parallel of domestic policy with the abomination which was the holocaust requires an immediate rebuke”.

“I have asked Mr Christensen to be far more aware of any platform he speaks on and to ask himself of the history of those platforms and if participation on it is wise,” he wrote.

Whilst currently in London I have been made aware of the latest comments by the Member for Dawson. Accordingly, I have contacted him twice in the night to affirm that any parallel of domestic policy with the abomination which was the holocaust requires an immediate rebuke. 1/3

— Barnaby Joyce (@Barnaby_Joyce) December 7, 2021

Federal Labor seized on Mr Christensen’s comments and accused Scott Morrison of a failure of leadership.

Acting Nationals leader David Littleproud condemned Mr Christensen’s appearance on the show and said he had spoken to his colleague to convey the party room’s views.

“We want to work constructively with George, but know that there are limits and there are boundaries that we as federal politicians have to adhere to,” he said.

“He is a respected member of the party room, and we want to have a conversation with him about respecting the party room back.”

Mr Littleproud – who is leading the Nationals while Mr Joyce is in Britain – said the comparison of the nation’s quarantine facilities to Auschwitz was “a step too far”.

A spokesman for Mr Joyce said he had spoken to Mr Christensen about his appearance on the show.

“While the Deputy Prime Minister doesn’t agree with the comments made, Mr Christensen has the right to say what he believes,” they said

But former Nationals leader Michael McCormack said Mr Christensen was fuelling Covid-19 fears.

Nationals MP Darren Chester said there were “plenty of normal people” in the Nationals party room who “condemn the conspiracy theories, lack of respect & ill-informed comments of Christensen”.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan said he sometimes disagreed with Mr Christensen but had no issue with him “going on different shows.”

“Just because you go on a show doesn’t mean you agree with everything,” he said.

Mr Christensen has been a vocal opponent of Covid-19 restrictions and used social media to criticise lockdowns, vaccinations and vaccine passports.

Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers called on Mr Morrison to rein in his Coalition colleague.

“These are dangerous views being pushed by dangerous people and Scott Morrison doesn‘t have a peep to say about it,” he said.

“This is a complete and utter failure of leadership by Scott Morrison.”