Coronavirus: ‘Self-indulgent’ Labor MP Graham Perrett who marched at Brisbane rally cleared for parliament

ALP MP Graham Perrett, accused of putting others at risk by ignoring health advice, will practise social distancing in Parliament.

Graham Perrett at the Black Lives Matter protest in Brisbane on Saturday.

Brisbane-based Labor MP Graham Perrett says he will practise social distancing at Parliament House this week after attending the Black Lives Matter rally with 30,000 others in Brisbane at the weekend in defiance of medical advice.

Mr Perrett and Greens senator Janet Rice were given the green light to travel to Canberra by chief medical officers on Monday despite their attendance at BLM protests, but government ministers have leapt on their attendance to question how MPs could have ­ignored health advice about coronavirus.

Mr Perrett, a Labor left MP who holds the seat of Moreton in southern Brisbane, published ­photos to his social media platforms wearing a Labor Party shirt and protective mask as he walked among a crowd of placard-carrying demonstrators.

“I took every precaution possible. I stayed at the back and as far away from people as possible. I do try to follow the social-distancing rules whether I’m at a rally with 30,000 people or at a local supermarket or just at my local bottle shop,” Mr Perrett said.

“The crowd was calm … where I was. I wasn’t down in the mosh pit.

“I’ve always felt there is unfinished business in Australia when it comes to indigenous Australians so I was there to show support.”

Mr Perrett, Labor’s assistant spokesman for education and training who flew to Canberra on Monday ahead of the Wednesday parliamentary sitting, said he had been monitoring his health closely and washing his hands regularly.

“I’ve got a private member’s bill on Wednesday to do with amending the Family Law Act. I will make sure that I keep socially distanced from my colleagues. It’s a very empty workspace.”

A spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee was “clear and absolute in advising against mass gatherings, and in warning about the health risks of attending … It is hard to understand why a member of the shadow ministry ignored advice of the medical expert panel.”

Nationals senator Matthew Canavan accused Mr Perrett of “virtue-signalling” and putting people’s health at risk. “It is selfish and self-indulgent and potentially putting other people at risk,” he told Sky News.
“He didn’t have to promote himself when he was there ... when you defy medical advice to do so, I think it’s particularly irresponsible and unfortunate.”

Mr Perrett acknowledged there was a degree of risk to the rally, but said it had been allowed to proceed by Queensland authorities.

“There was 30,000 people moving through a street (so) it’s not a perfect display of social-­distancing rules, but I did my bit just making sure I had my own personal space,” he said.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said on Monday the nation’s top medical panel was advising protesters to self-isolate only if they developed flu-like symptoms. “We have to remember we don’t know what will happen as a result of these protests,” he said.

Senator Rice said on Monday she would social distance throughout the sitting week, despite Education Minister Dan Tehan’s warning she should think “long and hard” before coming to parliament. “None of us would normally choose to protest in a pandemic, but we don’t have a choice when black lives are being lost and our government refuses to do anything about it,” she said.