A Tasmanian government MP has come under fire for making a "concerning" decision to sponsor a petition to State Parliament containing vaccine-related misinformation.
Liberal backbencher John Tucker has sponsored a petition to State Parliament that claims vaccine and mask mandates imposed by the government he is a member of "have not stopped the spread or mitigated the risks of contracting COVID-19 in Tasmania".
It also argues that, "there is increasing public concern that vaccinations and masking are unsafe," and calls on the Tasmanian government to lift all vaccination mandates and end mask requirements in schools, medical clinics and transport.
Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff, who is an epidemiologist, said it was concerning that Mr Tucker had put his name to a petition containing false and dangerous misinformation about the spread of COVID-19.
"It's in stark contrast to what the government's stated objective is, which is to encourage people to take public health protections such as mask-wearing and to be fully vaccinated," she said.
"This petition calls both of those core parts of our response to keeping people safe into question, and that's what is dangerous.
"I don't understand why any member of parliament would put their name to something which is so clearly against the public interest."
In a statement, Mr Tucker said he was exercising his right to represent Tasmanians who had asked for their concerns to be heard by the parliament.
"I provided advice to the party room that I would be tabling the petition on behalf of those community members who have requested that of me," Mr Tucker said.
"To be clear, I understand the importance vaccination plays in mitigating the severe effects of COVID-19 and I support our government's position to follow public health advice."
Labor leader Rebecca White said given the content of the petition, "you really have to ask why John Tucker did agree to sponsor it".
"It is completely contradictory to everything his Premier has said publicly", she said.
Senior minister Guy Barnett said it was not unusual for parliamentarians to sponsor petitions despite disagreeing with their content and described it as a normal part of parliamentary democracy.
"John Tucker supports public health advice and the government's policy," he said.
"Secondly, it is not unusual for members of parliament to support members of their local community who may or may not have a similar view to them to express that through the parliament."
'Ample evidence' measures work
Adrian Esterman, an epidemiologist from the University of South Australia, said the petition's claims that vaccine mandates and mask requirements had not helped reduce the spread of disease were incorrect.
"There's ample evidence that face masks can reduce transmission," he said.
Professor Esterman said masks were safe for children over six years old.
He said evidence showed vaccinations helped reduce transmission by reducing the chances of becoming infected, with a third dose providing "quite good protection" against infection with the Omicron strain for several months.
"That's why it's so critical to get that third dose," he said.
"Does being vaccinated protect against transmission? Yes, if you have that third dose, not so much if you only have two."
Professor Esterman said vaccines appeared to be safe for children and pointed out that there had been more than 30 reports of Australian children contracting COVID-19 and developing "multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children", which was a very serious condition.
