A handful of members within the Prime Minister's own camp have thrown their support behind protesters converging at Parliament House this week in opposition to COVID-19 vaccination mandates and restrictions.
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Senators Gerard Rennick and Alex Antic, along with north Queensland MP George Christensen, have all publicly backed a national convoy to Canberra in protest of mandatory jabs, which arrived in the nation's capital on Monday.
The Coalition backbenchers posted messages in support of the rally against government mandates, sparked by similar protests overseas calling for an end to public health measures implemented to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Graphics posted by the politicians called for vaccine and mask mandates to be removed, for QR codes and border closures to be ditched, and for an end to medical "segregation".
The parliamentarians, who have a combined Facebook following of more than 250,000, claimed mainstream media had overlooked the protest.
"The mainstream media doesn't want you to know, but the brave Canadian Freedom Convoy has inspired a worldwide movement," Senator Antic wrote on social media on Sunday afternoon.
Hundreds of truck drivers, motorists and other supporters gathered from around the country to join in on the rally on Monday morning.
Some protesters were seen waving the red ensign flag, flags in support of Donald Trump, the Canadian flag and the Knights Templar flag.
By the late afternoon, a large group from the rally reached the front doors to Parliament House while a line of police officers blocked them from reaching the public entrance.
The group dispersed as a severe storm hit Capital Hill and police issued a direction to the protesters to move on.
Some within the group have said the protests will continue in Canberra until at least the first sitting week of Parliament, when it returns on February 8.
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- Aboriginal Tent Embassy leaders fear infection from anti-vaxxers' camp next door at Old Parliament House
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been pressed on multiple occasions to address comments and opinions publicly shared by members of the Coalition that are contrary to health advice and the government's position.
Earlier this month, Mr Morrison told parents to "simply ignore" Mr Christensen's "dangerous" and "unwise" anti-vaccination views.
But said his colleague was free to express those views.
"It's a free country, people are allowed to say what they think," Mr Morrison said.
"But we don't have to listen to them. And we don't have to amplify their views. And I'm certainly not seeking to do that."
The Dawson MP said he would resign from his parliamentary committee role following backlash to his latest tirade against COVID-19 vaccines.
Labor health spokesman Mark Butler said Mr Morrison needed to do more about the people within his party spreading these views.
"Surely you can't be a government MP if you use government resources to openly campaign against the government's own pandemic response," he said.
"If Scott Morrison does not expel these MPs before Parliament resumes, then his promise to Australians that everyone is covered by the same pandemic rules means absolutely nothing."
The Canberra Times has approached Mr Morrison's office for comment.
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