Campaigners are calling on Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to deny a visa to influential anti-vaccine activist and COVID-19 misinformation spreader Peter McCullough.
The US-based former cardiologist is set to tour Australia next month, along with United Australia Party national director Craig Kelly and Senator Ralph Babet, as part of speaking events organised by Clive Palmer’s political party.
“Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear Dr Peter McCullough live in Australia,” Kelly wrote on his Telegram channel. The venues have not yet been named.
McCullough shot to prominence during the pandemic for promoting disproven COVID-19 treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, as well as for casting doubt on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
McCullough has been stripped of his cardiology qualifications reportedly for understating the risk of COVID-19 death and overstating the risk of COVID-19 vaccines. He’s now the chief scientific officer of the Wellness Company, which offers “COVID vaccine detox” products that experts say do not work.
His advocacy and credentials have made him popular with COVID-19 denialists and anti-vaccine figures and groups. He soon grew a large following on social media and even appeared on the world’s most popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, where he shared a number of mistruths. Just last week, McCullough promoted baseless speculation that NFL player Damar Hamlin’s high-profile collapse on a field during the game was linked to the COVID-19 vaccine (it’s believed Hamlin’s cardiac arrest was set off by a blunt force trauma to the chest).
Bernadette, a pseudonym granted due to concerns for safety from anti-vaccine activists, is a retired nurse and an administrator of the popular pro-vaccination Facebook page Blocked By Pete Evans. She wrote to Giles on January 3 to encourage him to reject or revoke McCullough’s visa on the grounds that he is a danger to public health. She has encouraged her followers to do the same.
“It is very clear that the purpose of his visit is to spread dangerous COVID misinformation,” Bernadette wrote.
“He is very active on social media and is promoted by the anti-vaccination community as an authority on COVID.”
In the past, visas have been denied on character grounds for misinformation peddlers. In 2019, British conspiracy theorist and Holocaust denier David Icke had his visa cancelled. US anti-vaccination campaigner Sherri Tenpenny cancelled her Australian tour in 2015 following a campaign to deny her a visa and to get venues to cancel bookings.
While Giles and Kelly did not respond to a request for comment, Babet said in a text message: “Dr Peter McCullogh [sic] is the worlds number 1 cardiologist and the fact that someone won’t let him speak and hear what he has to say is dangerous authoritarian behaviour.”
Update: This article originally stated that McCullough is a former doctor, rather than a former cardiologist.
I just have a kind of sneaking suspicion that the photos of the three characters that head this article were not taken at the local Mensa meeting.
One arsehat to fit them all….(deep apologies to Tolkien)
I’m struggling to believe the persons depicted in the triptych leading this article would even have a combined IQ of 100, let alone the 140+ required for Mensa..
I probably never would have heard of this grifter if there wasn’t a campaign to revoke his visa.
This is exactly the point – the campaign to revoke his Visa will give him more exposure than simply letting him come and go largely unnoticed.
Perhaps the activism would be better focused on responding to the things he actually says while on your, and discrediting them. Forbidding him entry simply fuels the fire of people already believing in conspiracy theories. I’m sure it makes people feel righteous, but it doesn’t help at all.
Tour* not your
A point of view well worth considering. The Rainbow Lorikeets near me just don’t think like this. But yes, the vax conspiracy theorists cannot be damaged by this guy, and are not about to change their minds on the basis of evidence. Certainly (perhaps), for the nation as a whole, keep the discussion alive while Covid is still with us.
The trouble is if this ex-cardiologist tours, Kelly and Babet will make as much of the situation as they can on him and his views. At least if he’s banned, we all get another reminder of why we should always discredit Kelly and his ilk.
Maybe the media could actually apply some grounded science to their reporting making his impact negligible, but that presumes the media is science literate….
You’d have to speak to the activists involved but I imagine they might argue that he would gain greater exposure in Australia by being able to tour, meet people (including, potentially, policy makers)
Perhaps – though it speaks poorly to the quality of our elected policy makers if we have to shield them from discredited anti-vax doctors.
The trouble is that the media, ever hungry for controversy, would give him a platform and claim “balance.” Ordinary people are not well-equipped to judge medical advice.
Australia has too much imported US ‘architecture of influence’ via media and political PR, especially on (climate) science denial etc., that would guarantee him too much non critical exposure?
Chances are he’s well known in anti-vax circles already.
Messrs Evil, Sly, and Dope
Professional liars of the lowest kind have always loudmouthed away to get noticed. Certainly do not import any more…
“… worlds number 1 cardiologist…”? How many “worlds”?
… Let him in … show him to the circus. What’s one more buffoon : rather than a martyr?
Who are they going to influence, that aren’t driving around (in their little clown car) under it already – that can get their daily tankful from just about anywhere anyway?
Number 1 cardiologist. Maybe it’s his membership number? He looks old enough…