However,
it now appears that Morrison did not speak with Kelly on Tuesday, 2
February.
It wasn’t until after a very public confrontation between
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek and Craig Kelly that Morrison did speak
actually speak with him.
Morrison’s
seeming reluctance had some basis in historical fact. When
faced with possible loss of pre-selection in December 2018 it is
understood that Kelly threatened to go to the cross benches and bring
down the government.
As
Morrison only holds federal government with a slim majority and, as
rumour has it, is considering calling a federal election this year,
it would be risky to discipline an MP who might carry through on that
old threat.
Morrison
indicated
the half-measures approach taken towards Craig Kelly on 3 February
2021……
Australian
Parliament,
House
of Representatives,
Hansard,
excerpt,
3
February 2021:
STATEMENTS
ON INDULGENCE COVID-19
Mr
MORRISON (Cook—Prime Minister and Minister for the Public Service)
(15:19):
Mr
Speaker, I respect the rulings that you've made in relation to
matters that have been raised today by the opposition. But, on
indulgence, I'll just say the following about matters that have been
addressed here today. A key principle of the successful response of
our government, and the state and territory governments with whom I
work, to the pandemic—a principle that I have applied with the
chairing of the federal cabinet, the National Security Committee of
Cabinet and the national cabinet—has been respect for the expert
medical advice that has guided our response and the institutions that
have the responsibility under our system for providing that advice.
It
is true that views expressed by the member for Hughes do not align
with my views or the advice that has been provided to me by the Chief
Medical Officer. Earlier today, the member for Hughes and I discussed
these matters, and I made it very clear that that was the view of me,
as Prime Minister, and, of course, the view of the government.
Vaccination is critical. It is our primary responsibility this year
as we continue to respond to the pandemic. I welcome the statement,
which I table, that was issued by the member for Hughes following our
meeting. Our job is to get on with the job of the vaccine. The
Therapeutic Goods Administration is the authoritative body not just
in this country; it is respected around the world. So I can say to
Australians—indeed,
for
the same reason that I and members of this place will take our own
children and our own parents to get that all-important vaccine—that
our Therapeutic Goods Administration and the medical advice that
guides my government's policy on the pandemic is the best in the
world.
Mr
ALBANESE (Grayndler—Leader of the Opposition) (15:22): I welcome
the belated statements of the Prime Minister in distancing himself
from the comments of the member for Hughes. The comments of the
member for Hughes have been dangerous—
An
honourable member: Which ones!
Mr
ALBANESE: We have a limited time on indulgence! But, in particular,
it was the comments with regard to health, the use of
hydroxychloroquine and the use of other drugs that have not been in
accordance with the advice of the TGA or the advice of the Chief
Medical Officer. Those have been of great concern. It is something
that
we on this side of the House have raised—particularly the former
shadow minister for health, the current shadow minister for health
and myself as leader—for a period of many months.
The
challenge of the pandemic requires us to absolutely have faith and
confidence in our institutions. We on this side—as the Prime
Minister has said himself; I know the minister for health has said it
a number of times as well—have faith in and we should be very proud
of the role that the TGA plays in this country. As we respond to this
crisis, it is absolutely vital that all of us who have the privilege
of being in leadership positions show leadership in the information
which we put forward to the community. We've said throughout this
crisis, 'We're all
in
this together.' It needs to be more than a slogan; it needs to be a
method of action as well. And that requires responsible leadership
from every parliamentarian.
I
hope that today sees an end to the information, or disinformation,
from the member for Hughes. I haven't had the opportunity to see the
statement that was just tabled by the Prime Minister.
On
4 December 2021 Craig Kelly’s Facebook account still
carried posts containing false and misleading information about
treatment and possible cures for COVID-19 infection. The last ones
being posted in the early morning hours of 3 February 2021.
BACKGROUND
University
of Newcastle,
3 February 2021:
In
response to debate around COVID-19 treatment
A
media statement in response to the debate surrounding COVID-19
treatment.
Please
attribute comments to Professor Alex Zelinsky AO, Vice-Chancellor:
The
University of Newcastle is committed to contributing to the response
to COVID-19 and we support peer reviewed science-based decision
making as we enter this next phase of the pandemic management, in
which vaccination plays an important role.
Rigorous
peer reviewed research evidence must remain a key mechanism to guide
major policy and public health responses. This is the framework that
Australian leaders have used to manage our pandemic response to date
and the success of this approach is evident.
As
a world-class research institute, we encourage and promote innovation
in research that is underpinned by rigorous scientific principles.
Our researchers are expected to adhere to strict scientific standards
in providing opinions on matters of public interest.
While
the University always respects freedom of speech, Robert Clancy is
not speaking on behalf of the University of Newcastle when offering
his opinion on this issue. The University has not funded his
research since 2009 and he retired in 2013. The University does not
consider Robert Clancy a subject matter expert on COVID-19.
The
Sydney Morning Herald,
4 February 2021:
Every
now and then a politician comes around with views so "crackpot"
- the word used by the Australian Medical Association president to
describe MP Craig Kelly's interesting COVID opinions - that you have
to ask: how the hell is this guy in Parliament?
With
the eager assistance of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, that's how!
Kelly,
member for the southern Sydney seat of Hughes, has long tangoed with
the more marginal opinion-holes of the internet, ranging from climate
change "scepticism", to his assertion that coral islands
float.
Kelly
is also an expert on foreign policy. On the 298 people killed aboard
flight MH17, shot down by the Russians, he told Sky News in 2018, "If
some of the things that Russia has gotten away with in the past has
to be slightly looked over, well I'm sorry, that's the price that we
have to pay sometimes to have good relations going forward."
Kelly
shared false reports claiming the violent insurrection at the US
Capitol building in January was organised by left-wing Antifa
protesters, and in 2018 he travelled to Azerbaijan, which has been
ruled by the same family since the end of Soviet occupation, to
declare its election a "coherent, democratic process". He
was on the ground for 48 hours.
Everybody
has one of those uncles, right? Well, the Liberal Party is no
different, and up until now, Uncle Craig has been tolerated with the
electoral equivalent of indulgent chuckles.
That
Kelly is a member of the Coalition's right-wing conservative faction
has a lot to do with his ongoing survival.
It
is a brave Liberal Prime Minister who sets off those hounds. Tony
Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull both supported Kelly's preselection,
despite attempts from the moderates to knock him off.
Then
in 2018, Morrison made it clear Kelly was to be protected from a
preselection challenge, despite (or perhaps because of) Kelly's
support for Peter Dutton in the leadership vote following Turnbull's
ousting.
But
that decision is looking less than clever now Kelly's misleading
views on the pandemic are becoming a public relations headache.
Kelly
uses social media to push his theories, and his Facebook page has
large levels of engagement. He has also appeared on the podcast of
chef-turned-conspiracy-space-cadet Pete Evans.
Kelly
has expressed scepticism about the COVID vaccine, he pushes unproven
drug treatments, including one that is meant for head lice, and says
making children wear masks is akin to "child abuse".
That
no child is required to wear a mask is a technicality unmentioned on
his posts.
Medical
experts have expressed horror at such misinformation being spread by
a member of the government. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has
politely said Kelly's views are "not scientifically based".
Kelly
claims he is a victim of "cancel culture", but he gets an
awful lot of air time.
He
is a regular guest on Sky News, he has his Facebook page, plenty of
media coverage, and there is also the forum of Parliament, which
amounts to a national stage where speakers enjoy parliamentary
privilege.
Besides,
the harsh arithmetic of politics means that the Prime Minister, who
sits on a one-seat margin, cannot cancel Kelly.
He
is also not Kelly's boss. The people of Hughes are. Those voters
include Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek's mum.
Yesterday
morning, Plibersek confronted Kelly in the corridor in Parliament
House.
"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.
The
photographs of the exchange told the story. Plibersek's gestures are
a gallery of emotions - the finger point of frustration, the face
palm of incredulity, the eye roll of exasperation.
