There are two theories about Scott Morrison: too smart by half, or not that smart at all. In a prime minister, during a pandemic, either is less than we need.
So it doesn’t matter why Morrison decided to set the hares running on mandatory vaccination for COVID-19; what matters is that he did, and now we can all enjoy many months of mindless stupidity reminiscent of the climate wars.
The PM, perhaps over-excited by the ease with which his announcement of an agreement (which doesn’t exist) to secure the COVID-19 vaccine (which hopefully will exist) had drawn the media’s focus away from his aged care debacle, went the extra mile and said that he’d be making the vaccination “as mandatory as possible”.
Later the same day, to really underline his credibility, Morrison said the exact opposite: nobody will be forced to be vaccinated for COVID-19. No doubt his earlier statement had been trending poorly in QAnon Facebook groups, hence the precipitous retreat. The damage, however, had been done.
Pauline Hanson, sniffing an opportunity to be angry on breakfast television, was out of her sarcophagus at full speed, declaring to the world that she wouldn’t be getting vaccinated, due to some incoherent mix of conspiracy theories she picked up on Reddit.
We know what happens next: the anti-vaxx story line, already quite a fave with the media, will be blessed with limitless airtime for months to come.
The legal position is straightforward. The government could force us all to be vaccinated. Vaccination is one of the many things that can be imposed on Australians, by force if necessary, in the circumstances that have been declared with respect to COVID-19, under the Biosecurity Act. Fact is, the authorities can under that law do absolutely anything in the name of public health at the moment, short of shooting us.
However, that is not going to happen, and it’s worth exploring why. Bearing in mind that vaccination is ineffective in defeating a communicable disease unless almost everyone submits.
There is no history of mandatory vaccination in Australia (Indigenous people aside — there’s definitely a history of not asking them first). There has been, however, a traditionally strong culture of voluntary compliance. The immunisation rate among five-year-olds, for all the standard jabs we get as kids, sits at just under the targeted 95%. Famously, polio was eradicated in Australia by vaccination (we were declared polio free in 2000), as was small pox in the entire world by 1977.
Conventionally, there has been little difficulty for governments in convincing populations that vaccination is in their personal interests, making the wider rationale of “doing it for everyone” largely a feel-good add-on rather than an actual motivator.
In recent years, the anti-vaxx movement has grown out of its tiny anti-establishment roots, mainly in the US, tying itself to the broader personal sovereignty cause which is currently fighting an end-times war against face masks.
To date in Australia it’s been only an annoyance, having no material effect on immunisation rates. COVID-19, however, promises to provide a lightning rod for the lunatics. Hanson’s early grab for the amoral leadership of the no-to-COVID-vaccine tribe tells us that.
There is a legitimate question to be asked, about the intersection of human rights – specifically, the right of governance over our own bodies – and the imperatives of public health. Under Australian law, there’s no debate at all, because we have no such legally protected right and the government’s power to forcibly vaccinate us against COVID-19 would be upheld by the courts as a matter of course.
It seems highly unlikely the government would force the vaccine on conscientious objectors. This group already includes senior religious leaders who have ethical concerns about a vaccine developed using cells from electively aborted foetuses, as is the Oxford University vaccine announced in the government’s “deal” last week.
That’s not to say that there are no limits to the power. The authorities vested with the powers to declare public health emergencies and add diseases to the schedule of mass death threats, which then trigger the extraordinary powers to do whatever’s necessary (as in wartime), have to exercise those powers with rationality, reason and honesty. The law of necessary means isn’t an open ticket to capriciousness.
None of that will be seriously tested in COVID-19, because there’s no legitimate argument to be had about the reality of its threat or the necessity of rolling out a vaccine as soon as that exists.
Nevertheless, arguments will be raised and loudly championed on Facebook, then loyally amplified out of all proportion by the mainstream media. These will include Pauline’s theory that most of the people who’ve died from COVID-19 actually didn’t, the inevitable “the vaccine isn’t safe” claims she’s already flagged, not to mention Bill Gates, 5G and the “pizzagate” paedophile cannibal ring.
The medical authorities are hoping that that stays at its normal level of background noise. As National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance chair Professor Kristine Macartney said, “we know that disinformation isn’t listened to by the majority of the Australian people”.
We can take the Australian population’s overwhelming compliance with COVID-19 safety rules and restrictions as evidence that she’s right. However, it would really help if Scott Morrison didn’t say another word, because what he’s said on the subject so far has already done plenty of harm.
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If it comes from Russia or China, it doesn’t matter if they hang me up by my toenails – I WON’T
The Oxford vaccine is made with cells derived from one aborted foetus some time in the past, which now consists of a replicating cell line, not from recently aborted foetuses.
i really can’t see the ethical concerns of the senior religious leaders. The cell line is going to exist regardless of whether it’s used to make a vaccine or not. It’s not as if they’re aborting foetuses for the sole purpose of making the vaccine.
Perhaps someone who thinks it’s ethically tainted can explain it to me?
A search of Trove trove.nla.gov.au using search terms vaccination AND fine does show that there is a history of mandatory vaccination in Australia. I guess for smallpox.
I suspect for polio; smallpox for overseas travel.
In Europe, including Britain, it was mandatory until the 80s – everyone over 45 had the indicative scar on the upper left bicep.
Compulsory vaccination predates polio vaccine by a long way – for example, this from 120 years ago:
At the local police court yesterday,
before Mr. Keogh, P.M., and Messrs.
Jno. Green and T. G. Chandler, J’s.P.,
Constable Hocking proceeded against
Andrew Logan, John Lindupp, and
William John Harley, for neglecting
to have their children vaccinated in
compliance with the Act. Defendants
pleaded guilty in each instance.
The Guardian. (1899, October 27). Healesville Guardian and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1898 – 1900), p. 2 (MORNINGS.). Retrieved August 25, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60299482
Another one of your articles that panders to the hysterical pro vax, pro mask, pro lockdown, pro anything marxist commentators here on cky. I have noticed regularly that your articles are fearful to upset the comments section in case they give you a bad wrap. Grow some b-lls and do some real research and study Prof Udi Qimrom dept of Microbiology and Immunology Tel Aviv University and see what he says re covid/vaccines and those occultic subjection masks.
Are those bulls kosher?
Bad rap.
I’m no expert (not even close) on immunology/virology/epidemiology, but I do agree with Professor Qimron’s observations about the perils of fear and hysteria. We are very much in that zone at the moment.
I’m old enough to have grown up with the non disposable/boil ’em again needles/syringes/vaccines in Australia..i’ve had plenty of jabs..I don’t remember many. if any, anti-vaxxers around .No Marxists much on the ground either, pushing/plunging the vaccines..When/how on earth did the anti-vax idiocy start in Australia ? It’s bizarrely laughable that it even gets a look in, or a mention, on the radar. I didn’t even come across it when my children were growing up..Decades of working in & around schools, and hardly an anti-science nutter crossed my path..
I read an article by Prof Udi Qimron entitled ‘History Will Judge the Hysteria’. He mentioned the benefits of ‘chains of immunity’ and ‘an appropriate immunity depth’. But he doesn’t mention at all the fact that the length and strength of ‘immunity’ gained by being infected is unknown. He’s in favour of developing ‘herd immunity’, which is a fantasy. Researchers had already posited the prospect of immunity possibly lasting no more than 3 or 4 months, based on anti-bodies found in recovered infectees. Today, there are reports of the first definite case of a Hong Kong man being infected for a second time, four months after the first infection, with a new strain of the virus. I suggest you do some ‘real research’ and read about this. Meanwhile, Qimron’s presumed optimism regarding ‘immunity’ and complete neglect of lasting health effects in survivors make his piece practically worthless.
So you are an immunology/virology/epidemiology expert, mr chilly ( andrew ) winds?…and Prof Udi Qimron knows nothing. I’ll just give him a quick call and let him know the new Australian virologist/immunologist expert, mr chilly winds, said herd immunity is a fantasy. Me thinks you blow too much wind.
I wonder what comes after andrew?..hmm, not sure. Probably come to me shortly.