Thursday, 24 February 2022

Northern Victoria Region

Mr QUILTY (Northern Victoria) (12:53): (1654) My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. Last week a constituent attended my office distressed over the future health and wellbeing of her 11-year-old child. Like many Australians, this constituent has a shared parenting agreement with ex-partner. Her distress stems from learning that while on an access visit with the father he was able to book and have the child vaccinated against COVID-19 without her consent. While I am pro-choice, this was against the mother’s express wish. An 11-year-old child is unlikely to be Gillick competent. What is it about the COVID vaccine that makes parental consent no longer necessary? Have we literally shredded medical ethics in the state and dispensed with the rights of parents altogether? Regardless of what people think about the COVID vaccine, we have had too much ripping up of societal norms during this pandemic. Minister, what protections are in place to ensure the rights of both parents are being considered before children under the age of 12 are being vaccinated against COVID-19?

The ACTING PRESIDENT (Mr Bourman): Mr Quilty, I am going to give you an opportunity to rephrase that, because that is not in any way, shape or form a constituency question.

Mr QUILTY: A constituent came into my office and asked me. That was the start: last week a constituent attended my office distressed over the future health and wellbeing of her 11-year-old child.

The ACTING PRESIDENT (Mr Bourman): But what you are asking—there is not a specific region to your issue. I understand that you had a constituent come in. Have a go at rephrasing it.

Mr QUILTY: Minister, what protections are in place to ensure that the rights of both parents are being considered—in this particular case of a constituent that came into my office—before children under the age of 12 are being vaccinated against COVID-19 in my region of Northern Victoria?

The ACTING PRESIDENT (Mr Bourman): I am going to give the minister the opportunity to deal with that, but I do not like your chances.