Coronavirus deniers: Bunnings Karen ‘a neighbour from hell’

Kerry Nash’s neighbours claim police and the fire brigade have been called over her frequent parties and loud music.

Kerry Nash.

The Melbourne woman who has become known as “Karen from Bunnings” has been described as the “neighbour from hell” after she was revealed as the woman who filmed herself refusing to wear a mask at Bunnings and berating the store manager.

Kerry Nash’s former employer iSelect issued a statement on Monday denouncing her actions and stressed that Ms Nash had not worked for the company since December 2018.

“We are appalled by #BunningsKaren’s refusal to wear a mask without a legitimate reason,” the company posted on Twitter.

“We fully comply with COVID restrictions. Any staff unable to WFH must wear a mask in our office, in accordance with guidelines.”

Residents in Ms Nash’s street told The Herald Sun police had been called on Ms Nash over frequent parties and loud music, while the fire brigade had attended her property over a big backyard bonfire.

“This is nothing new for her, she is always banging on about how she’s gonna sue police and always argues with them,” one neighbour said.

“She acts all tough and goes on and on about all that law sh-t and her human rights.”

Ms Nash kept a low profile on Monday, even calling police after reporters knocked on her door, the Herald reports.

But fellow anti-masker Lizzie Rose went on to the Today Show to push her views, only to be shot down by host Karl Stefanovic, who abruptly ended their interview, saying: “I can’t even listen to you”.

Ms Rose, who has been widely condemned online over footage of her refusing to wear a mask in Bunnings, told Stefanovic the move was “about personal choice” and that her “health comes first”.

Asked whether she thought wearing a mask was a breach of her human rights, she said: “I do. This is my voice. It is about an agenda. It is not only about a virus.”

Ms Rose also disputed virus statistics, claiming the numbers “are not true” and that she believed the virus was “biochemically engineered intentionally”.

A frustrated Stefanovic slammed Ms Rose, saying she “deliberately went into that place to antagonise workers.”

“You have espoused all these weird, wacko beliefs and unfortunately there are people out there who will side with you, and that is just irresponsible in this current climate.”

“I can’t listen to you anymore, he added before ending the interview abruptly.

In the original video, Ms Rose said she had a medical exemption for not wearing a mask.

Ms Rose, a self-proclaimed psychic and witch runs the Facebook page The Illuminating Army, which carries advice on how to resist police directions about masks.

Please spread this post everywhere you can ... To my Awakened friends with <3 Print the below documents and keep them...

Posted by The Illuminating Army on Friday, 24 July 2020

It also airs conspiracy theories about doctors and nurses being paid $13,000 to register deaths as being the result of COVID-19.

In one video Ms Rose said she would be go to three to five suburbs each day without wearing a mask.

She said the health order was about control and submission rather than a “killer virus”.

They are among a number of Victorians who are spreading conspiracy theories online and breaching social-distancing rules in organised defiance of health regulations.

A large group attended a meeting on Sunday night at a gym in Melbourne’s southeast to discuss what organiser Nick Patterson described as “the putrid conduct of the police, government and media lies”.

Among them was Eve Black, who confronted police at a lockdown checkpoint last week and calls the pandemic a “SCAMdemic”.

On his Facebook page Mr Patterson thanked Ms Black for speaking and described her as “a true libertarian”.

Ms Rose reposted a video of Ms Black confronting police and thanked her for being “so brave, so courageous and SO awake”.

AFter Ms Nash posted her Bunnings video, similar confrontations were filmed at an Australia Post outlet and shopping centres.

One piece of footage showed a woman being arrested in a carpark so police could confirm her identity to issue a fine.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission confirmed on Monday the requirement to wear a face covering when out of the house was a lawful directive and did not violate any rights set out under Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities or any international human rights instruments.

Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser also said being required to wear a mask in public in Melbourne did not breach human rights.

“It’s a very small limit on personal freedom for a very good reason — saving lives and protecting public health,” he said. “Those who claim their rights are being breached are wrong.”

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said: “The behaviour of those who blatantly choose to disregard the rules on the insistence their human rights being breached is alarming.

“Worse yet, it seems these people are more interested in ­notoriety and getting likes on ­social media than the health ­and wellbeing of their fellow ­Victorians.”