Port Hedland Council carries vaccine contamination motion

Port Hedland Council has voted to call for the immediate suspension of Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines at a special council meeting.

The motion on Friday, which calls on the council and town chief executive to send letters to the Federal and State health departments and related ministers, concerning alleged COVID vaccine contamination passed five votes to two.

Deputy mayor Ash Christensen, who once described fighting against COVID vaccine mandates as akin to the ANZAC’s battle at Gallipoli, voted for the motion alongside councillors Adrian McRae, Camilo Blanco, Sven Arentz and Lorraine Butson.

Just before he voted for the motion, Mr Christensen admitted that he was a “simple human being” with a “not very great education”.

“It goes without saying that this conversation will be had over, I’m assuming, decades when the truth does finally come out around the real health ramifications and the issues created by the injections that were brought forward,” he said.

The motion, based on a recent report by Canadian virologist David Speicher and letters from MP Russell Broadbent to Anthony Albanese, calls on council to send a letter to the Prime Minister supporting Mr Broadbent’s call for the immediate suspension of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

Revealed just hours before the special council meeting, it also requests the council to circulate a letter to all registered health practitioners and clinics in Port Hedland, urging them to share the findings of Dr Speicher’s report with their patients.

The motion also asks the council to send the letter to all local governments across the State, encouraging them to take similar action.

The town’s chief executive is also tasked with sending a letter to WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and Commonwealth Health Minister Mark Butler requesting public responses to the claims of alleged DNA contamination in Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Claims vaccines can cause cancer or alter human DNA have been debunked by health authorities including Health Canada and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration.

There was resounding community support for the motion, with more than 10 residents delivering speeches at public statement time, referencing a range of COVID vaccine conspiracy theories.

Cr McRae delivered several speeches in support of Dr Speicher’s report, which were met with rounds of applause from the gallery.

“We will be the first government of any level in Australia that cuts out their (State and Federal Government’s) ability to bullshit to us,” he said.

Cr Ambika Rebello, the only councillor to speak against the motion, highlighted health policy was not a responsibility of local governments.

“As local government, our roles relate to roads, rates, rubbish, recreation, local town planning and, to an extent, housing, childcare,” she said.

“A debate on health issues pertaining to the evils of gene therapy and vaccine is not the business of council.”

Cr Rebello also accused Cr McRae of bringing the motion forward in an attempt to increase his public profile ahead of the 2025 federal election.

“Why are we calling this meeting in such a hurry with a 72 hours notice? Whilst it is within the rules, I find it opportunistic,” she said.

“He (Cr McRae) is taking council along on this controversial matter and one that is not business of council. Is it to raise his personal profile in the lead up to a federal election?

“We as a council are no experts to interpret scientific data. I certainly am not nor are we a health regulatory authority to advise health practitioners and other local councils, nor are we a court of law.”

Cr McRae called the accusation “ridiculous”.

“The fact that she (Cr Rebello) is happy to hand the health of the people of Hedland to Canberra and the TGA ... I’m just embarrassed,” he said.

“I can’t imagine being in a situation where I wouldn’t stick up for my people, my friends, my town, my community.”

Cr McRae also alluded to recent media coverage of the motion.

“I can only imagine what a distinguished scientist like David speaker would say to such pathetic smears by these weak prostitutes in Australia’s media, especially when those throwing the stones have many more public character flaws than the doctor,” he said.

Following the meeting, mayor Peter Carter who also voted against the motion said it was disappointing that the motion was passed on 6PR on October 14.

“It’s not the role of council … this is something that we shouldn’t be entertaining at all,” he said.

It is not the first time the Town of Port Hedland council has devolved into COVID-19 conspiracism.

In May 2022, councillors voted to sue the State Government over vaccination mandates despite legal advice to the contrary.

The lawsuit was abandoned a month later.