Tasmania’s Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff is throwing support behind a doctor, and state election candidate, who has expressed critical views against the COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Julie Sladden, a local general practitioner (GP) and an emergency doctor at Launceston General Hospital, was among the Liberals’ 35 new candidates set to run in the upcoming state election.
While Labor accused Ms. Sladden of going “against public health advice,” the Liberal leader said he welcomed a wide range of views in his party.
The centre-right party announced its candidate line-up on Feb. 20 ahead of the election on March 23.
Ms. Sladden, who is contesting in the northern seat of Bass, previously argued against the state’s vaccine mandate and refused to get the COVID-19 jabs.
In a video posted in early February, she said government mandates had “trodden over” informed consent.
“I was forced to close my practice in the wake of the mandates back in 2021 … because I simply refused to get jabbed,” she said in a video posted online in early February.
“That was a personal decision for me, but I also had a very strong ethical opposition to the mandates.”
In a commentary on The Spectator on Feb. 6, she said that the mandates breached a person’s ability to give their consent as they had been pressured, coerced, and manipulated.
She said that people “couldn’t give fully informed consent to a product that had been around for less than a year as the risks were not yet entirely known.”
‘Very Proud Of Our Team’
Mr. Rockliff, who’s also minister for mental health, stood by Ms. Sladden, saying that her views were part of the “broad church” of the party.“We have announced candidates from all walks of life,” he told reporters on Feb. 21.
“That’s what Tasmanians want, they want real Tasmanians prepared to step up and stand up for their communities.”
“I’m very proud of our team, every single one of them.”
The Liberals, who had been in a minority government for nine months, are chasing a fourth term in office after calling an early election more than a year ahead of schedule.
Mr. Rockliff said that Ms. Sladden would be a passionate advocate for rural health.
“I’m focused on our team. I’m not focused on the past,” Mr. Rockliff added.
Labor’s Response
Meanwhile, Labor MP Dean Winter said his party had serious concerns about Ms. Sladden’s candidacy.“Whilst Jeremy Rockliff was health minister … she was calling out Jeremy Rockliff’s own policies,” he told reporters.
“We’ve got a candidate who is … against the public health advice.”
Mr. Winter said Labor would continue to encourage people to get COVID-19 boosters and would soon encourage people to get a flu jab.
Tasmania’s lower house is being restored from 25 to 35 members at the election, with seven MPs to be elected in each of the five electorates.
The Liberals on Wednesday pledged to halve bus fares for a year from June if re-elected at a cost of $14 million.
Labor promised to match the commitment and also announced a scheme aimed at helping renters.
