COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Prevention of Discrimination’ Bill Voted Down in Australian Senate

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The Australian Senate has voted down legislation that aimed to prevent Australians from discrimination on COVID-19 vaccination status.

This comes after data from the government showed vaccine compensation has reached $23 million (US$15 million) with 8 percent of claims successful.

The Coalition and UAP Senator Ralph Babet supported the legislation put forward by One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson, while Labor, Greens, and Independent Senator Fatima Payman voted against it.

The private member’s bill aimed to stop the federal government, states, territories, and other government and non-government entities from discrimination based on whether someone had taken the jab.

Under the legislation, discrimination included goods, services, facilities employment, education, accommodation and sport. Further, the bill stopped interference of free movement between states and territories within Australia.

“The bill supports the inalienable rights and freedoms of all Australians, acts to minimise interference in our daily lives and aims to reduce the interference imposed by unnecessary, restrictive bureaucratic red tape,” an explanatory memorandum circulated by Hanson stated (pdf).

In parliament, Hanson said discrimination against people who refuse vaccinations continues “even today.”

She said more experts were now speaking about the lifelong impact on human health of what she termed “experimental jabs.”

“To those people that have had this vaccine, I am sorry to tell you that you’ve compromised your body and compromised your health,” she said in Parliament on Aug. 14.

“Australians are demanding accountability for being forced to accept vaccinations proven to be harmful to their health. We must unpack the entire Australian response to the pandemic.

“We must see the health advice which led to these mandates and who provided it. We must act before the World Health Organization’s proposed pandemic treaty is imposed on the world.”

She highlighted that One Nation’s policy is to establish a royal commission into the management of the COVID-19 pandemic by all Australian governments. She said the COVID-19 vaccines cost Australian taxpayers “$18 billion to buy.”

Following debate in Parliament, Hanson said the bill would have upheld Australians’ rights and freedoms against government overreach.

“The mental and physical health issues that people are dealing with due to the vaccine are numerous, and I am often told by those who have health issues that they had the vaccine. I say, ”Do not have any more,” she said on X.

The bill was defeated after the second reading on Aug. 14 with 28 members voting for it and 32 voting against the legislation.

Legislation a ‘Stunt’: Whip

Government Whip in the Senate Anne Urquhart said the government could not support the legislation.

“This bill is yet another stunt by Senator Hanson and One Nation, and our nation’s public health is too important for that. It should be rejected by all parties,” she said.

The Senator said the government’s position on the COVID-19 vaccination is “that it is voluntary” as are all vaccinations in Australia.

“Although we encourage and aim to have as many Australians vaccinated as possible. COVID-19 vaccinations protect people in Australia against serious illness and death and have been instrumental in allowing society to reopen both socially and economically,” she said.

Urquhart said vaccination had been critical in “reducing hospitalisations, admissions to intensive care unites, and deaths.”

She added “we shouldn’t focus on conspiracy theories and fringe agendas.”

Vaccine Injuries Not a Conspiracy Theory: Rennick

Meanwhile, Liberal National Party Senator Gerard Rennick said vaccine injuries were “not a conspiracy theory.”

Senator Rennick said it was not just the vaccine injuries that needed to be looked into, but the entire response, including lockdowns, PCR testing, excess deaths, and border closures.

Rennick said while the virus was real, “we did not need to lock down.” He also raised concerns about the politicisation of health with the premiers every day.

“Locking down healthy people of the working-age population was completely unnecessary. You don’t destroy the strong to protect the weak, yet that’s exactly what happened here,” he said.

“We also need to look at the excess deaths, yet again.”

Babet gave credit to former New South Wales Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet for admitting COVID-19 vaccine mandates were a mistake.

He also suggested that Liberal party members should read the Believe statement and other speeches by party founder Robert Menzies.

“You know what, Liberal Party? If you want to win elections, if you want to take back the states from the socialists, just stick to your principles. You don’t need to do anything else,” he said.