MP Craig Crawford takes aim Cairns councillor Brett Olds over Covid vaccine status

Craig Crawford has hit back at comments from a Cairns councillor as the state government pushes forward with new regulations which will ban unvaccinated people from many venues in Queensland.

BARRON River Craig Crawford has slammed Cairns Regional Councillor Brett Olds over claims he compared the State Government’s new Covid regulations to apartheid in South Africa.

However, Cr Olds says his comments have been misrepresented.

From December 17, only people who are fully vaccinated will be allowed in a large range of Queensland venues, including pubs, clubs, nightclubs and other venues.

Mr Crawford raised Cr Olds’ vaccination stance during a press conference in Cairns with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on Wednesday.

“I condemn Brett Olds for his statements in Cairns on the government’s announcements,” Mr Crawford said.

Speaking at a media conference with State Health Minister Yvette D’Ath at Cairns Convention Centre on Wednesday, State MP for Barron River Craig Crawford slammed Cr Olds for comments comparing the stage government’s new regime to apartheid, but Cr Olds said he’d been misrepresented. Picture: Brendan Radke

“If you speak to anyone who endured South African apartheid, they will tell you they were not in a position to change the colour of their skin, they were not in a position to change their ethnic background – unvaccinated Queenslanders are in a position to get vaccinated,” Mr Crawford.

“Cr Olds needs to get vaccinated, or Cr Olds needs to resign.”

Cr Olds has chosen not to have the jab and says it was “a personal choice”.

All other councillors except Cr Amy Eden have declared they’ve had the jab, but Cr Eden declined to reveal her vaccination status to the Cairns Post.

Responding to Mr Crawford’s comments, Cr Olds said he’d been misrepresented.

Division 9 Cairns regional councillor Brett Olds said his comment comparing apartheid in South Africa to the state government’s new mandates on Covid vaccination had been misrepresented. Pic Romy Bullerjahn

“All I said is anytime throughout history when people have been divided against themselves, whether it is apartheid or male versus female, I have not seen a positive outcome,” Cr Olds said.

“This is going to pit people against each other – the Premier has changed the goalposts for 18 months, on October 20 she said it would be up to individual business whether or not to ban unvaccinated customers and that the State Government would not be mandating the vaccine.”

Cr Olds said it was not mandatory for federal, state or local government employees to have the jab.

“It is not going to affect how I do my job, maybe there’s some junkets I can’t go on or events at the Cairns Convention Centre,” Cr Olds said.

Originally published as MP Craig Crawford takes aim Cairns councillor Brett Olds over Covid vaccine status