Jacqui Lambie takes aim at One Nation push to scrap COVID-19 vaccine mandates - ABC News

Independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has accused One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and supporters of her bill to end state-based vaccine mandates of "playing Russian roulette with people's lives".

Key points:

• The bill to end vaccine mandates was voted down yesterday but was supported by five government MPs
• Senator Lambie says those who supported the bill are out of touch with most Australians
• Lower House government MP George Christensen is now threatening to withhold his vote

Senator Hanson's private members bill was introduced and voted down yesterday, but five government senators crossed the floor to vote in favour of it.

During debate on the bill, Senator Lambie made an impassioned speech against ending the vaccine mandates, saying it was not discriminatory to have different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

"Here's the thing: Being held accountable for your own actions isn't called discrimination, it's called — you wouldn't believe — being a goddamn bloody adult," she said yesterday.

Speaking this morning, Senator Lambie said Senator Hanson and the other senators who voted for the bill were out of touch with Australians who wanted to keep themselves and their families safe.

Government senators Matt Canavan, Gerard Rennick, Alex Antic, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Sam McMahon voted in favour of Senator Hanson's bill.

LIVE UPDATES: Read our blog for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic

"If they had their boots on the ground out there, to be honest, [they would realise] the majority that usually stays silent, doesn't say too much, has had enough," Senator Lambie said.

"They're concerned about their kids, their mothers, their fathers … there is nothing else we have on the front line.

"There is nothing else that we have that's been put in front of us that can give us a good chance of actually defeating this and keeping our health intact without losing people that are close to us.

"I will not be like those people playing Russian roulette with people's lives. I will just not do that."

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MP threatens to withhold vote

Senator Lambie said people would have to "wear" the consequences of their choices and people who wanted their freedoms back were lining up to get the vaccine.

"Most Australians understand that this is the only way we can beat this," she said.

The government is also now facing a revolt from one of its MPs in the House of Representatives too, with Nationals MP George Christensen threatening to withhold his vote unless the government moves to overturn vaccine mandates.

In a social media post, he said he would either lodge a conscience vote or abstain from voting until the federal government stopped state governments and private companies from introducing vaccine mandates.

But Mr Christensen, who is stepping down at the upcoming election, said he would continue to support essential legislation.

Yesterday the Prime Minister acknowledged Coalition MPs' right to cross the floor, saying: "We don't kick people out of our party if they happen, from time to time, to disagree."

Independent MP Bob Katter has also confirmed he will follow Mr Christensen in only supporting essential government legislation.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTExLTIzL2phY3F1aS1sYW1iaWUtdmFjY2luZS1tYW5kYXRlLWRlYmF0ZS1vbmUtbmF0aW9uLzEwMDY0MTkxMtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA2NDE5MTI?oc=5

2021-11-22 22:21:04Z
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