Broadbent makes vaccine position clear

After violent protests broke out across Melbourne against mandatory vaccination and lockdown measures, the Federal member for Monash, Russell Broadbent has again spoken out.

On his weekly message to the electorate, Mr Broadbent noted that “if you question a status quo around vaccinations, you are deemed to be part of the radical fringe of society.”

After saying “Australians do question things, especially authority. Always have, always will” Mr Broadbent went on to call for a respect for different opinions, noting it was important that as a society, we ask the hard questions.

He made his stance on vaccinations clear in his video post.

“I am uncomfortable with mass vaccination of the population with a vaccine that is, according to Minister Hunt, being trialled across the world,” Mr Broadbent said.

“We have no knowledge of the side-effects until they present themselves and of course, no idea about the long-term ramifications. The producers of the vaccines obviously share my discomfort because they are indemnified. No one can sue them for unforeseen outcomes.”

This puts him at odds with health authorities and many local organisations, which are part of a campaign encouraging all eligible Bass Coast residents to be vaccinated.

Vaccine passports

NSW is set to trial and then introduce a vaccine passport next month.

The trial would see vaccination data on the Australian Immunisation Register linked to the Service NSW app, meaning only fully vaccinated people would get the green tick checking into a venue.

Victoria has said it will also introduce a version of the vaccine passport.

The Federal government has confirmed it is working on a system to establish a vaccine passport for international travel, with proof of vaccination linked to the passport for anyone needing to declare their vaccination status before travelling overseas.

However Mr Broadbent raised concerns about the proposed vaccine passports, which he said would “split this national in two”.

“If passports are imposed, just wait to see the effect on families, workplaces and neighbourhoods. It might seem an obvious solution now, but the division which separates loved ones and fractures society will be devastating.

“Those that chose not to be vaccinated pay the price – some giving up their careers, others facing separation from family and other loved ones. It appears they are not just a handful of people and many of them are otherwise fully vaccinated.”

Options needed

Mr Broadbent believes a range of options, not just mandatory vaccinations, needed to be explored, as part of the response to Covid.

“There are a range of views on how to manage the Covid virus. While I can understand mandatory vaccination may seem an obvious path to follow, is it making the difference hoped for? Vaccination may give protection against the most severe case of Covid, but it doesn’t stop you from getting covid or passing it on. And what about the variants that come? Is it time to … at least reflect.

“We seem to be following one path only without looking at other possible avenues of prevention and treatment. Why are we scared to look more broadly, to ask the question and then have the discussion?

“I know the pandemic frightens people but that should not stop us asking any question we want to ask. In fact it should drive us to seek answers. Fear corrodes one’s health, Covid or no Covid. It’s not helpful to label those who have a different view as ratbags.

“We need to engage in honest discussion about why people are choosing not to be vaccinated, including members of the health profession, and some members of the teaching profession.

“Wherever the nation is heading with this issue, it’s important that we put our relationships before divisions that this issue is causing. This is a time, if ever there was a time, to respect our differences, be it friend, family, neighbour, work colleague, politician and have the courage to ask the hard questions and use this situation to help us mature as a compassionate and empathetic people, who choose to move beyond fear.”