Hello Russell Broadbent here, your Independent Member for Monash
Thanks for joining me today.
I’m no stranger to standing up, speaking out and stating the truth as I see it – especially when it comes to people suffering injustice, discrimination or distress.
While there’s often a cost when you go against the herd, I’ve never regretted doing it - not once.
And I know that the families I’m standing up for regarding the No Jab No Pay policy are also no strangers to going against the tide, against the herd.
Over the years, whenever I questioned the mistreatment of vulnerable people like single parents, the elderly, disabled and refugees, the herd were not happy. That didn’t worry me.
When I questioned the validity of covid mandates and new vaccines, the herd were not happy. That didn’t worry me.
And rest assured, the herd won’t be happy when I take another stand in the parliament next week.
To the thousands of mums and dads who face discrimination, and financial punishment for the so-called ‘offence’ of not keeping their child up to date on the childhood immunisation register and to parents who felt coerced to vaccinate their children in order to work, let me say this, you’re not alone and we’re all in this together now.
The stories I’ve heard are gut-wrenching. The sacrifice of these intelligent and informed parents is humbling. Their desperation and distress is devastating to read, and their pleas for protection from further prosecution and persecution are heartbreaking.
You heard me correctly – these parents are being persecuted– not in Russia, not in China not in North Korea, but right here in Australia. They’re victims of a cruel and punitive government policy.
I salute these parents who refused to bow the knee and have stood tall against successive governments – refusing to vaccinate their children despite knowing the financial consequences.
As I continue to share their stories, I’m sure you’ll come to the same conclusion as me – that these parents’ sacrifices are a testament to their enduring love and concern for their child’s health and wellbeing, a decision that was often made after a first child suffered an adverse reaction to a vaccine.
Let there be no doubt, I will stand in the gap for these courageous parents until truth and justice prevail.
That’s justice as I see it.
