Rogue Coalition backbencher George Christensen will quit his lucrative position as the chair of a parliamentary committee, after coming under renewed criticism for his anti-vaccination rhetoric.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Mr Christensen's tenure as the head of the Joint Committee for Trade and Investment Growth was a matter he was "discussing" with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.
It followed Mr Christensen urging Australian parents to avoid getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19, as he spruiked his podcast on social media.
Mr Christensen said he would quit the role, which adds an extra $23,000 to his yearly backbench salary, when parliament returns in February.
"I will be advising the Speaker that I intend to stand down as the chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth, a decision of my own making and not a demand or request from any third party," he posted on Facebook.
The backbencher added that it would be news of "no interest to anyone but the Canberra bubble" — a term regularly used to dismiss scrutiny of developments and debates in federal parliament.
The Prime Minister had labelled Mr Christensen's comments as "dangerous", but defended his right to express his views as a member of parliament.
"Don't listen to George Christensen — he's not a doctor, he can't tell you what to do with vaccines," Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
"Australia is a free country, we can't go around locking people up for what they say as Australians.
Mr Christensen is not contesting the next election for the Liberal National Party in the north Queensland electorate of Dawson, and he has been a vocal critic of the COVID-19 pandemic response across Australia.
"His views are not the government's views, they have in no way whatsoever influenced government policy at all," the Prime Minister said.
Mr Christensen is a member of the Nationals party room, and his leader was reluctant to reprimand him when questioned in Brisbane.
"I spoke to Mr Christensen yesterday, I've spoken to him today," Mr Joyce said.
"And I don't intend to go on a tirade about Mr Christensen because it serves no purpose. "
The only thing that serves the purpose is to talk one on one to Mr Christensen because otherwise you're pumping up your own balloon and maybe not even helping the issue."
Mr Joyce said his backbencher's views were at odds with medical advice, but added calls to have him booted from parliament were seriously misguided.
"As soon as what you say starts amounting to a threat of removal from office, you're in dangerous territory," he argued.
"Sometimes people think we'll go up there and put them in a stranglehold. Well, of course, that'd be a crime.
"If you made a direct threat about removing them from office, that's a crime. You can't do it, you're not allowed to do it."
On whether Mr Christensen would leave politics quietly, the Deputy Prime Minister likened the situation to horse riding.
"It's not so much how you ride the horse, but how you dismount, and some people get gracefully off the horse and walk to the rails," Mr Joyce said.
"And some people can't help but keep one foot in the stirrup and get dragged around in the dirt.
"[Mr Christensen] is not off the horse yet."
