"You need to be quiet": MP with fringe COVID views taken to task
Government backbencher Craig Kelly has come under fire after being told to be quiet on national television in an interview with Today.
Pressure is mounting on the government to rein in the MP for undermining the country’s pandemic response.
Mr Kelly has been accused of promoting debunked coronavirus remedies, and questioning the need for a vaccine.
He’s also been slammed for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about Covid-19.
Labor has fiercely gone after the Liberal MP for his controversial words.
Appearing on Today on Wednesday morning, Mr Kelly said he was “very disappointed about the Labor party making this a partisan issue”.
He went on to defend his numerous posts on social media that he claims were peer reviewed studies pushed by “experts”.
Today host Allison Langdon was quick to refute the broad claim.
“That’s not true, Craig,” she said. “I spent some time online last night and I managed to debunk every one of your theories. They’re not peer reviewed.
“Don’t you need to pull your head in?” she asked the Liberal member.
"You need to be quiet."
Allison Langdon SLAMS Liberal MP Craig Kelly over his unfounded and inaccurate comments about COVID-19. #9Today pic.twitter.com/Vudxqcqzw8— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 2, 2021
Mr Kelly’s main theories claim the use of hydroxychloroquine and another drug ivermectin to treat Covid-19 – one of his only causes that has had minor support in the medical community.
He referred to Emeritus Professor Robert Clancy of the University of Newcastle on the issue, and claimed the drug combination could be used in conjunction with a vaccine.
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has previously said however that there is “no evidence” the drugs should be used in Australia.
He also suggested the MP’s views in general were “not scientifically based”.
The interview between Langdon and Kelly quickly turned into a shouting match after Kelly promoted a Covid study pushed by a Bangladeshi plastic surgeon.
Kelly defended his position that enforcing children to wear face masks is tantamount to child abuse.
“When you read the science, it says it causes them harm,” he said.
Langdon fierily shot back: “Craig, we have seen deaths from Covid, we've seen sickness. We've seen mass job losses, hundreds of billions of dollars spent in government stimulus, all our hopes are riding on a vaccine,” she said.
“You need to be quiet.”