(UAP) leader Craig Kelly during the UAP's campaign launch on the Sunshine Coast, 16 April, 2022. [10], In the aftermath of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol by pro-Donald Trump rioters, Kelly shared a debunked Washington Times article that falsely claimed facial-recognition technology had recognized members of Antifa among the attackers. [38] Kelly returned to Azerbaijan to observe the presidential election in 2018, praising the use of photographic ID to obtain a ballot paper. [47] While he voted for Dutton in the second spill, Kelly stated that he would throw his support behind Scott Morrison. This is despite the chief medical officer stressing that many of these treatments have not been properly evidenced. Join the team Become a member today Details. [51] Kelly was approached to run for the electoral district of East Hills, a state seat, but declined. [11], Kelly was born in Sydney on 29 September 1963. And the Pfizer vaccine is still working. [16][21] The then Leader of the House, Anthony Albanese, alleged Kelly failed to disclose his directorship of three entities which he had not officially relinquished until March 2011, eight months after the 2010 election. Which is why Israel is now planning to give booster shots. The Sydney MP is a proud monarchist and regularly expresses support for conservative causes. [7][8][9] By January 2020, Kelly's Facebook page had higher levels of engagement than either the Prime Minister or the Opposition Leader, leading The Sydney Morning Herald to call Kelly "one of Australia's most influential politicians on Facebook". The campaign texts appear likely to continue if the TGA does not find a way to act, with Mr Kelly saying the UAP could spend as much at the next election as it did at the last one. But we didnt stay angry for long before we started to ponder how to mobilise and have the man democratically demoted. Yet he has still been warmly welcomed onto Sky News opinion shows, appearing at least once a week over the last three months. Notes on vaccine effectiveness from Associate Professor Paul Griffin, University of Queensland. [72][73] Kelly was criticised for appearing with Pete Evans by RACGP President Dr Karen Price. You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. A protester has violently smashed an egg on Craig Kelly's head in an unprovoked attack at a Melbourne park which ended with a bizarre bicycle chase. - Bernardi, Sky News Australia, 18 June, 2021. He described it as "divisive", and as a reverse form of apartheid. [167] Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Prime Minister Scott Morrison distanced themselves from Kelly's comments,[168] and NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean said that "Craig Kelly is as qualified to talk about atmospheric physics as he is to perform brain surgery". [69] A website was set up by a Hughes constituent to fact-check Kelly's claims. There is a strong anti-science theme that runs through Kellys supporters. Independents are making their mark in Australian politics. (AAP: Darren England) Despite all the advertising money spent across the country, Clive Palmer's United Australia Party looks to have not won a single seat in either house of the parliament. Most importantly, hes been right! [108] While a member of this committee, Kelly criticised the Turnbull government's position on energy. [1], In 2021 Kelly sold his family home in the Sutherland Shire and purchased a new home approximately 100km from his electorate in Narara on the New South Wales Central Coast. [31] The Intermodal Terminal began construction in 2017. Anti-vaxxers seem to appreciate his attempts to cast doubt on the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines. [56] Morrison reportedly floated using state executive powers to save Kelly from a pre-selection challenge, taking the decision-making process away from grassroots members. As Mr Morrison struggles to unify a divided party, ensuring the electoral future of a conservative warrior such as Mr Kelly is a move that may go some way to placating this group. craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events Although the policy won support of the Liberal party room, Mr Kelly threatened to vote against the policy if it reached Parliament a grave threat given the Government's tenuous hold in Parliament. But if anyone is hiding the truth in his crusade against masks, lockdowns and vaccines, it is Kelly. ALAN JONES: Outstanding. [14][164] In September 2019, at a monarchist league dinner, he claimed that this increase was because coral islands float, further complaining that this was not reported on Australia's public broadcast network, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. We have the evidence, we have the data, we have the science and we have the facts all on our side. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. [173], Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, Australian House of Representatives committee, Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, September 2015, Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, 2018, Morrison had secretly been appointed to several ministerial positions, Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017, 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, "Statement in relation to citizenship - 45th Parliament", "Craig Kelly resigns from the Liberal party to move to the cross bench", "Craig Kelly joins Clive Palmer's United Australia Party ahead of federal election", "Craig Kelly's expletive-laden rant exposes depth of Liberal Party tensions", "Top doctors' body hits out at Liberal MP over Pete Evans' podcast", "Morrison chides Kelly over coronavirus claims, but MP vows to keep pushing controversial line", "As Australia Burns, a Climate-Change Denier Rallies the Troops", "Craig Kelly accused of pushing 'dangerous' COVID-19 conspiracy theory", "Dr Omar Khorshid - Health misinformation, COVID vaccines", "Liberal MP Craig Kelly outperforms Scott Morrison, Anthony Albanese on Facebook", "Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly savaged on British TV for being a 'climate denier', "Craig Kelly MP mocks climate change 'exaggeration' in presentation to Liberal party members", "Questions over Liberal MP's family business collapse", "Court documents conflict with Liberal MP statement on company", "Royal cheer for Hughes Liberal candidate Craig Kelly", "Labor candidate flees after two suspected shootings", "Croatia summons Australian ambassador over MP's speech", "MP sparks Croatia-Australia diplomatic spat", "Border dispute: NSW MP wants car stealing warning at Victorian border", "Craig Kelly rocks intermodal hearing: air pollution to go up 1000 percent", "MP dismisses claims the final approval for Moorebank freight terminal comes this week", "DC084/2017 Construction begins on Moorebank Logistics Park", "Alan Jones attack threat to potential Craig Kelly challengers", "PM steps into New South Wales preselection row", "In South-west Sydney the candidates are campaigning up to the wire", "Five things you might not know about controversial backbencher Craig Kelly", "Register of Members Interests - Craig Kelly", "Australia should learn from 'coherent, democratic' Azerbaijan election, says Liberal MP after state-sponsored visit", "Inquiry into crystal methamphetamine (ice) - Final Report", "Conservative MP open to drug 'decriminalisation', "ABC Fact Check researchers take on claims pill-testing leads to more deaths", "Abbott backs Craig Kelly as preselection battles hot up", "Backbencher Craig Kelly backtracks on threat to join the crossbench if he is dumped", "MH17: Liberal MP Craig Kelly angers colleagues with comments on Russia's role in accident", "EXCLUSIVE | Liberal MP Craig Kelly confirms he voted for Peter Dutton in leadership spill", "The 43 Liberal MPs that brought down Malcolm Turnbull", "Liberal MP Julia Banks not contesting next federal election, says leadership spill was 'the last straw', "Craig Kelly says AGL needs to sell Liddell: 'There is a clear argument', "The Liberal Party is short of cash just months out from a federal election", "Liberal pre-selection battle looms as federal MP refuses to budge", "Morrison intervenes to save maverick MP Craig Kelly from preselection defeat", "Moderates defy Scott Morrison's call to save Craig Kelly", "Craig Kelly planning to quit the Liberal Party as government braces for more defections", "Craig Kelly evokes spirit of Menzies to reassure nervous Liberals that he won't defect to crossbench", "Liberal Party in turmoil over plan to save Craig Kelly through emergency powers", "Turnbull intervenes in pre-selection process, tells PM to call early election", "Labor asks AFP to investigate $350,000 job offer to Craig Kelly preselection challenger", "Craig Kelly faces grassroots campaign to oust him from seat of Hughes", "Updated | MP cleared over dinosaur incident", "House of Representatives division information: Hughes, NSW", "Petrol prices surge 20pc this year, but analysts say not much can be done", "Petrol prices: Craig Kelly pushes Coalition to consider $3.5bn reduction in excise tax", "UK climate scientist corrects Australian MP Craig Kelly's 'blatant misrepresentation', "Scientists hit back at Craig Kelly's 'brainwashed climate cultists' spray", "Craig Kelly decries censorship but blocks dissenting voices from his Facebook page, constituents say", "Craig Kelly defends Pete Evans podcast: 'ideas should be debated', "Govt turbocharging illegal tobacco: Lib MP", "Organised crime licks its lips as tobacco excise set to hit $1 a stick", "Treasurer resists calls to scrap car tax", "View from The Hill: Craig Kelly set to face preselection reckoning without prime ministerial protection", "Controversial backbencher Craig Kelly quits Liberal Party to sit on the crossbench", "Coalition MPs willing to cross floor for royal commission on veteran suicides", "PM plans to deny controversial crossbencher extra staff", "No extra staff for ex-Liberal Craig Kelly", "Superannuation bill passes lower house after Coalition dumps controversial 'kill switch', "Clive Palmer: Craig Kelly will make a fine leader", "Craig Kelly appointed leader of the United Australia Party", "Clive Palmer approaches Craig Kelly, George Christensen to join his party", "Kelly to support Morrison on critical votes until election", "Craig Kelly drafts bill for pollie pay cut", "Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly using spam text messages to capture rightwing vote ahead of election, expert says", "Drug regulator considering if website in Craig Kelly text breaches Criminal Code", "Hacking Kelly: how to let Craig Kelly, spammer, know how you feel", "People Are Raising Money To Send A "Huge Bag Of Dicks" To Craig Kelly", "Craig Kelly awarded Australian Skeptics' Bent Spoon gong for spreading Covid misinformation | Health | the Guardian", "Craig Kelly: MP banned from Facebook appointed to parliament's social media inquiry", "Palmer, Hanson, Joyce lead the list of least liked politicians", "UAP wins Victorian Senate seat as Clive Palmer persists with claims of 'electoral fraud', "Scott Morrison apologises to Karen Andrews over secret portfolios following Coalition pressure", "Touching by MP's aide 'very uncomfortable', woman tells court", "MP Craig Kelly accused of ignoring allegations of misconduct by trusted advisor Frank Zumbo", "Liberal candidate defends pokie lobbyist's attendance at campaign launch", "Knives out for Hughes MP Craig Kelly after branch battles", "How does Craig Kelly vote on issues that matter to you? [57] This has been described by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as unacceptable. Craig. And even Sky News admitted it was wrong and forced Alan Jones to read a correction on air: ALAN JONES: The broadcast didnt point out the higher rate of cases of the Delta variant in the unvaccinated compared with the vaccinated . Therapeutic Goods Administration head John Skerritt has slammed the texts for spreading incorrect information about the vaccines and is taking legal advice on whether the campaign breached criminal law. [18][19], At age 46,[20] Kelly was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Member for Hughes in 2010, which was considered a marginal seat. . [94], In the 2022 election, Kelly won around 8% of the vote, and Jenny Ware, representing the Liberal Party, won Hughes. Health regulator moves to take on Craig Kelly over misleading vaccine texts. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we The maverick MP has made no bones about his . Others are startled by his staunch support of the fossil fuel industry; he famously stated that fossil fuels are keeping us safe from a dangerous climate. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Even when he has overstepped the mark, he has survived the fallout. [90], In November 2021, Kelly was awarded in absentia the Bent Spoon award by organisation the Australian Skeptics for spreading misinformation about Covid and vaccinations.[91], In December 2021 Kelly, who has been permanently banned from Facebook, was nominated by the crossbench and appointed to a parliamentary committee looking into social media and online safety, along with two Opposition MPs.