The federal government’s online petition system has been taken over by anti-vaccine activists using the platform to pressure politicians and spread their misinformation further.
The House of Representatives has an “e-petition” platform that allows Australians to create and share petitions online. Anyone can request to start a petition online, applications for which are certified by the Standing Committee on Petitions. Chaired by Queensland LNP MP Chair O’Dowd and comprising nine MPs from both major parties, the committee regularly meets and approves dozens of petitions at a time. Petitions can be rejected for breaking certain rules — including going over a 250 word limit, containing a URL or having inappropriate language — but are for the most part approved by the committee, even if they doesn’t align with their views.
Once approved, the petition runs for four weeks before being presented in the House of Representatives. The relevant minister is asked to provide a response, which is then published online.
Petitions — tracing back to the physical, handwritten petitioning of members — have long been a part of citizens’ engagement with politics, and still play a central role. Former PM Kevin Rudd’s recent call for a media diversity royal commission garnered more than half a million signatures and led to a Senate inquiry.
What makes this different is how anti-vaxxers have begun to dominate the petition platform, spamming it to promote their ideas.
The top three petitions by number of signatures ever are Rudd’s media diversity petition, a request to call a climate emergency (bearing 400,000 signatures), and a plea to stop mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations — a favourite demand of anti-vaccine campaigners.
More than 300,000 people signed the vaccination petition in the four weeks it was open. The reason provided for the petition is that “experimental vaccines being tested for Covid-19 Is [sic] going against the Nuremberg Code if made mandatory”. This refers to a misreading of research ethics forbidding the use of experimental treatments, not vaccines that have been proven safe and effective.
This petition has been heavily promoted on social media. Facebook posts linking to the petition were shared more than 20,000 times and received more than 67,000 likes, reactions and comments. Frequent sharers of misinformation like MP George Christensen, Senator Rod Culleton and commentator Joel Jammal all posted about the petition.
The e-petition platform has become rife with these kinds of documents. Five out of the top 10 petitions ever regard vaccines and have received more than 600,000 signatures combined. Six of the top 10 petitions currently accepting signatures are about vaccines too. Other petitions allude to different COVID-19 conspiracy theories like impending martial law or reporting the “true” number of COVID-19 deaths.
So why do conspiracy theorists who are sceptical if — or outright hostile to — government institutions choose to use a parliamentary petition rather than another platform?
Despite their anti-government sentiment, many anti-vaxxers and other fringe groups still cling to the authority of government. Influenced by sovereign citizens who misquote legal documents and concepts to avoid paying taxes or fines, these conspiracy theorists give undue weight to legal mechanisms like the power to present petitions, as if a petition with a certain amount of signatures would force politicians to acquiesce to their desires.
One big Instagram page that Crikey has chosen not to name said as much in a post promoting the petition against mandatory vaccines.
“[Petitions] are intended as a mechanism that the public can send a message directly to the govt of unified support in regards to a particular issue they care about, on the basis of sheer numbers,” the post said.
Similar to how Senate estimates is being used by certain Senators to create content distributed by conspiracy theorists, having a petition spouting misinformation on an official Australian government website gives a veneer of respectability and authority to these theories.
While ultimately these petitions come to nothing — despite hundreds of thousands of signatures, the Australian government is adamant on the proven benefits of vaccines — they take up resources and steal oxygen from other issues. Ministers’ offices spend time drafting yet another response to anti-vaxxers who are unlikely to be convinced by a polite letter from someone like Greg Hunt. The petition committee has to consider and approve hundreds of petitions which only spread misinformation further and have no impact on governing.
Despite this, anti-vaxxers continue to flood the official platform in a futile attempt to stop the use of our most effective weapon against COVID-19.
By all means don’t get vaccinated if you believe it a violation of your personal sovereignty. Just don’t come into my:
May I insert – tax payer funded medical facility?
Why shout at clouds when you can just sign a petition?
That way you have more time for reflexology and healing crystal therapy.
ommmmm
Or more usually, ummm.
Ice cold healing qrystals. Yes those ones.
Culleton is not a Senator. It’s doubtful he ever was one.
This is three times in the last week that this ‘writer’ has called Cullerton a senator.
He also seems to have an unfortunate penchant for repeating the most banal phrases & memes.
Is he averse to accuracy or just not give a flying?
The latter, ‘writer’ wouldn’t publish my earlier comment, seems constructive criticism is not allowed
How many contradictory sentences can you fit in one poorly written article?
Petitions show the number of people for or against an issue, no matter the issue, if there are lots of petitions involving the vaccines then surely that’s relevant? People want to talk about it, you know, democracy etc
So ‘ultimately these petitions come to nothing’ – so ignore hundreds of thousands of signatures?
Petitions “have long been a part of citizens’ engagement with politics, and still play a central role” so it does make a difference?
Even leading to a senate enquiry as you state in this article.
600,000 signatures is not nothing, and shouldn’t be disregarded.
This article employs emotionally condescending language, and an antagonist school yard attitude.
Apparently the new stenographer for the Establishment(s) of this country or the US, having inheritted the CIA liaison gig from inSainsbury – viz the quotidian China/Russia tropes in the last week or so.
‘This refers to a misreading of research ethics forbidding the use of experimental treatments, not vaccines that have been proven safe and effective.’
I wonder what the 149 Australians already diagnosed with myocarditis and pericarditis after the Pfizer jab would have to say about that. This is an increase of 38 cases in the last 7 days alone. (Source: COVID-19 vaccine weekly safety report – 12-08-2021)
Given that this side effect primarily affects under-40s, and the Pfizer jab is not yet widely available for this age group, these figures are a disaster.
I sure hope you’ve never taken any painkillers in your entire life, Johnny, because those are 10 times more likely to give you the conditions you mention than the AZ vaccine ever will. I also notice you repeating the lies about Israel’s recent small uptick in infections after they removed all restrictions. Whilst infection rates did rise slightly, there was no increase in hospitalisations or deaths. A fact you anti-vaxxers love to ignore.
Israel have approximately 1/3 of the population of Australia, and recorded 7,668 new cases on the 11th of August. This is roughly the equivalent of Australia having 20,000 new cases per day. In other words, they are about 40 times worse in terms of infections.
On the same day, Israel recorded 16 deaths. This is almost 25 times the current level in Australia.
Also on the 11th of August, the country recorded 405 ‘serious Covid-19 cases’. 250 of these patients were fully vaccinated. (Source: https://datadashboard.health.gov.il/).
Is this your idea of a ‘small uptick’?
Even Forbes referred to it as a ‘recent surge’.
Yep, it’s James1 – next step will be demanding “do your own research!”
BTW, as awful as you try to make it sound, Myocarditis & Pericarditis is usually just a minor, temporary inflammation of the heart that can be overcome with bed rest….& is only very rarely fatal, & rarely even causes more than very mild symptoms. Also, according to the TGA site, only around 70 vaccine recipients have been diagnosed with this condition-not the 150 odd that you falsely claim…..and not one of them has been fatal. Meanwhile, over 2% of people who contract full-blown Covid die from it, and an even larger percentage end up in ICU, & get chronic symptoms far worse than a short-term inflammation of the heart muscle.
“After treatment, many patients live long, full lives free from the effects of myocarditis. For others, however, ongoing cardiovascular medication or even a heart transplant may be needed. Overall, myocarditis which can cause dilated cardiomyopathy, are thought to account for up to 45 percent of heart transplants in the U.S. today.” (Source: https://www.myocarditisfoundation.org/about-myocarditis/)
This does not sound particularly mild.
“Also, according to the TGA site, only around 70 vaccine recipients have been diagnosed with this condition-not the 150 odd that you falsely claim”
Wrong.
‘To 8 August 2021, we have received 149 reports of suspected myocarditis and/or pericarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty (Pfizer).’ (Source: https://www.tga.gov.au/periodic/covid-19-vaccine-weekly-safety-report-12-08-2021)
“Meanwhile, over 2% of people who contract full-blown Covid die from it, and an even larger percentage end up in ICU, & get chronic symptoms far worse than a short-term inflammation of the heart muscle.”
The current case fatality rate for this NSW outbreak is less than 0.5%. The infection fatality rate will certainly be even lower, as we can safely assume that there are undiagnosed cases, but no undiagnosed Covid-19 deaths.
“After treatment, many patients live long, full lives free from the effects of myocarditis. For others, however, ongoing cardiovascular medication or even a heart transplant may be needed. Overall, myocarditis which can cause dilated cardiomyopathy, are thought to account for up to 45 percent of heart transplants in the U.S. today.” (Source: Myocarditis Foundation)
This does not sound particularly mild.
“Also, according to the TGA site, only around 70 vaccine recipients have been diagnosed with this condition-not the 150 odd that you falsely claim”
Incorrect.
‘To 8 August 2021, we have received 149 reports of suspected myocarditis and/or pericarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty (Pfizer).’ (Source: TGA Weekly Covid-19 Vaccine Safety Report – August 12, 2021)
Looks like James1 has a new handle.
Straight for the gaslighting….nice!
Darkness Visible fears the daylight.
Mediocre mind brings nothing to the table.
Q.E.D.