Dr Nick Coatsworth issues an urgent warning over Albanese's government's proposed law
* Nick Coatsworth warns about misinformation laws * Fears the weaponsation of laws to silence debate * READ MORE: Nick Coatsworth makes major Covid admission
By David Southwell For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 11:50 AEST, 25 September 2024 | Updated: 20:52 AEST, 25 September 2024
PLEASE NOTE: Coatsworth's views below on the COVID pandemic reflect a ‘critical perspective’ on how the Australian government and health officials handled certain aspects of their response. He claims that vaccine promotion was necessary (I’d like to see the evidence for that), but he believes that vaccine mandates were a mistake, admitting in hindsight that these mandates contributed to a loss of public trust and goodwill (and let’s not forget the injured and dead). He also noted that draconian measures to control the virus were prolonged for too long, causing people to become disillusioned and resentful (well, some resented the measures from the beginning, because they were draconian!).
The reason for Coatsworth’s inclusion in my substack is simply; because even he strongly opposes to the Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, believing it could be "weaponized" to suppress legitimate debate and dissent. He argues that the bill, aimed at curbing misinformation, could label valid public health concerns as misinformation, particularly when scientific understanding is still evolving, as seen during the COVID pandemic. He emphasizes that stifling open debate causes more harm than misinformation itself and advocates for rejecting the bill in its entirety. Instead, he supports teaching critical thinking to empower individuals to recognize falsehoods, rather than relying on legislation to control information.
One of Australia's most high-profile doctors has urged Australians to actively oppose the Albanese government's proposed misinformation laws saying they would have been potentially harmful during the Covid pandemic.
Dr Nick Coatsworth, who was the nation's deputy chief medical officer during the pandemic period, feared the Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Bill would be 'weaponised' to shut down debate.
He noted the legislation was in part aimed at stopping the spread of 'misinformation' that caused 'harm to public health in Australia, including to the efficacy of preventative health measures'.
However, he said this was 'astonishing' after the Covid pandemic because the medical fraternity and general public became 'acutely aware' the 'facts' changed as the virus became better understood.
This means the new laws could brand 'legitimate concerns' about about public health policy as 'misinformation', according to the government of 'scientific orthodoxy of the moment'.
'Misinformation causes harm,' Dr Coatsworth said. This bill should be rejected in its entirety.
'The weaponisation of misinformation as a term to shut down debate causes even greater harm.
'This bill does the latter.'
Dr Coatsworth said 'he shares the government's deep concern about the harms of social media to community trust and cohesion'.
'But misinformation is such a widely used accusation these days that I can't see how the law could work practically',' he said.
Dr Coatsworth said that while some things online are 'verifiably false' the 'only solution is to equip the community from a young age to recognise what they (falsehoods) are and to understand how social media works to manipulate debate'.
'Let's teach our kids critical thought and how to question and debate, not how to dismiss or reject other's opinions or ideas with random accusations of misinformation,' he explained.
'I'd strongly encourage Australians to do something they may never have done before and submit to the Senate Inquiry.
'Even if it's a short paragraph expressing deep concern about what this Bill represents.'
Dr Coatsworth has previously admitted Australian governments and health officials lost the trust and goodwill of the public over their handling of Covid.
He told Sydney radio station 2GB in February said draconian measures to contain the virus dragged on too long and caused people to tune out and grow resentful.
In a 10-page submission made in February to a special inquiry being held on Australia's Covid response, Dr Coatsworth admitted imposing vaccine mandates was wrong.
'We didn't get it wrong promoting the vaccines, but the mandates, yes, I think we did get that wrong,' he said.
'And I think you can say hindsight is 20/20. But hindsight gives us foresight. And if we have another pandemic, we should think long and hard whether mandates for vaccines are justified.'
Under the new laws beefed up watchdog Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would be able to order social media companies to crack down on repeated misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.
Should the companies fail to do so they face a range of penalties and whopping fines, which could include forfeiting five per cent of their global revenue.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has denied the laws would curb freedom of expression.
'We've been very clear as a government to take strong advice around this and to consult widely and to ensure that it aligns precisely with what we have under international law so as not to curb freedom of speech,' she told the ABC earlier this month.
Shadow communications minister David Coleman has accused the government of trying to shotgun the laws through parliament after an earlier version of them was withdrawn last year following substantial public opposition.
'How are people supposed to respond to this complicated law in just a week?,' Ms Coleman told The Daily Telegraph.
'Labor wants to ram this legislation through and is trying to stop the massive backlash we saw last time.'
To read this article on the Daily Mail Australia website link HERE
The frantic ill considered legislation saturating our freedom of speech passed only by blocking parliamentary debate in lockstep with several other countries cannot be coincidence but must be driven by the instructions of a foreign power. These people Imposting our legally elected politicians have forgotten their oaths of allegiance and who pays their salaries. As the second Nuremberg trials draw ever nearer, unlike the Nazi excuse ‘I was only following orders’ those breaking the law will be clearly identified and will pay a heavy price.
Didn't get it wrong with the vaxx? He's on meth.
Still any help is good help but f me