Electoral commission urged to investigate COVID-19 vaccine flyers sent out by Clive Palmer - ABC News

The Australian Electoral Commission is being urged to investigate flyers distributed nationally by controversial billionaire Clive Palmer, which are being accused of undermining public confidence in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

Key points:

• The flyers claim the vaccines are subject to "emergency use" authorisation
• Labor's Mark Butler has written to the electoral commissioner demanding action against Mr Palmer
• The Therapeutic Goods Administration says they are factually incorrect

The yellow and black flyers, signed by Mr Palmer, question the speed of the development of the vaccines and claim appropriate safety checks and balances are lacking.

He describes the vaccines as being subject to "emergency use" authorisation.

There is no reference to Mr Palmer's United Australia Party, and the flyers do not carry any official authorisation as required by law for political communications.

But, the federal opposition argued the flyers were being used as part of campaigning by Mr Palmer and should be treated as official party material.

Shadow Health Minister Mark Butler said the flyers had been picked up in South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, and suspected they were also being distributed in other states.

Labor's Mark Butler says Mr Palmer should be called out for spreading misinformation.(

ABC News: Nicholas Haggarty

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He has written to the Australian Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers, demanding action.

"The COVID vaccine rollout and the government's response to the pandemic generally are very clearly going to be big election issues in the lead up to the 2021 or 2022 federal election," Mr Butler told the ABC's AM program.

"Clive Palmer, who is so closely associated with the party he began, is spewing misinformation in exactly the same way he runs an election campaign.

"It's important the Electoral Commission get ahead of this, and if Mr Palmer does want to do this thing he's required to properly authorise it in accordance with our electoral laws."

Read more about COVID-19 vaccines:

'Leave the medicine to us'

Australia's health regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has granted authorisation for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines imported from overseas to be used across the country, and approved the domestic production and use of AstraZeneca vaccines rolling off the manufacturing line in Melbourne.

"The statement contains factual inaccuracies," a TGA spokesperson told the ABC.

"The [TGA] does not have an 'Emergency Use Authorisation' pathway for COVID-19 vaccines.

"Most countries that are using Emergency Use Authorisations (such as the UK, US and Canada) are not the same as regulatory approval, and have been made in response to the very high COVID-19 disease burden and risk in those countries."

The TGA urged Australians to "rely on trusted information sources", a position echoed by the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

"Clive, we'll leave the mining to you and you leave the medicine and the science to us," the association's vice-president Chris Moy told the ABC. 

"The problem is, say somebody doesn't get the vaccination because of his message, which is clearly not based on any particular expertise on his part, what happens if they later get COVID or even die later?

"He'll be completely removed from direct responsibility for it, but as far as I'm concerned he's as responsible as any doctor who does something wrong."

Dr Moy said there was "a lot" of data indicating the safety of the vaccines, and "no real evidence" of major problems.

Your COVID-19 vaccine questions answered

Got questions about the COVID-19 vaccines being used in Australia? We have answers.

Read more

Mr Butler said Labor was also looking at how it could pursue Mr Palmer for similar claims he has been making in advertising across the country, such as in newspapers and on social media.

"Where there has been misinformation on Facebook, I've deliberately contacted, very clearly contacted Facebook for them to act on that," he said.

"If it's happening through newspapers or letter boxes — whichever way Mr Palmer is trying to sew disinformation — it should be called out. "

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTAzLTI2L2xhYm9yLXB1c2hpbmctaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbi1jbGl2ZS1wYWxtZXItY292aWQtdmFjY2luZS1mbHllcnMvMTAwMDI5NTEw0gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMDAyOTUxMA?oc=5

2021-03-25 19:23:45Z
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