A senior Northern Territory Opposition figure has been reprimanded for publicly spruiking anti-vaccine-mandate views that are seemingly in conflict with his party's stance.
Country Liberal Party vice-president and former candidate Jed Hansen spoke at the "Free in the NT" protest in Darwin on Saturday, saying he was firmly against COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
"I know that the CLP strategy, point of view, is that they all universally support the vaccine mandate," said Mr Hansen, who ran for the seat of Wanguri in the 2020 NT election.
"I can absolutely tell you not everyone does, because I do not. I never have.
"Vaccines are, by right, a choice for individuals, and never government-imposed mandate.
"If I run again in 2024 at the next local NT election, that's the position I have. And there are many people like me who share this view, so don't label us all the same way."
CLP president Jamie De Brenni said Mr Hansen was "voicing his personal opinions, which he is entitled to do, but does not speak on behalf of the party".
"Only the president of the CLP has that authorisation," Mr De Brenni said in a statement.
Deputy leader Gerard Maley said the CLP "welcomed debate" but the rally was the wrong forum for Mr Hansen to express his views under the banner of the CLP.
Confusion over mandate policy
It comes amid confusion within the CLP about the party's policy on mandates, with CLP senator Sam McMahon, who was also at Saturday's rally, declaring that there was not one.
"I'm not aware that the CLP has an official view," Senator McMahon said.
"I'm not aware of any official policy on mandates.
"I'm representing the federal government's view, in absence of any official policy from the CLP."
Mr Maley said the CLP supported mandates as long as they were backed by current health advice.
"At the present time, the best health advice is that the mandates are here," he said.
"That's what the health advice is so that's our policy."
Party leader on extended leave
The conflicting messages come at a time when the party's leader, Lia Finocchiaro, remains on extended "personal leave".
"She's taking this month off in relation to spend[ing] time with her family," Mr Maley said.
"Everything is fine. Lia is our leader — she's got my 100 per cent support, I know that she's got the wing's support — but like everyone in Australia, she's entitled to her personal leave."
Ms Finocchiaro has not fronted any media events since before Christmas.
