Anti-vaxxer leaflets landing in letterboxes across the region are spreading dangerous and deliberate falsehoods and should be binned on receipt, McEwen MP Rob Mitchell says.
Mr Mitchell said he was alerted to the leaflets last week by constituents in the electorate who said they were disturbed that non-evidence based messages were being distributed.
“The leaflet is just rubbish and people should treat it with the disdain that it deserves,” Mr Mitchell said.
“It comes from an American-based organisation, which you’d think wouldn’t be so callous and stupid to make a statement like ‘most people have no risk of dying of COVID-19’.
“This, from a country where tragically more than 440,000 deaths have been recorded.”
The leaflet is branded IDoNotComply, an American-based organisation claiming to be a global movement that opposes COVID-19 regulations.
The leaflets make several assertions like “It’s not about a virus, it’s about control” and encourages people not to wear face masks.
“If people here want reliable information, they should talk to their doctor or treating medical professional,” Mr Mitchell said.
This is not the first time people have attempted to spread their anti-coronavirus compliance message in the region.
Macedon Ranges residents were left fuming after a Keilor anti-masker visited Romsey to get her nails done during the height of Melbourne’s lockdown in July.
The anti-vaxxer leaflets emerged in the south of the McEwen electorate just days before the Premier Daniel Andrews returned the state to tighter restrictions, last Wednesday, following a confirmed positive COVID-19 case in a Melbourne quarantine hotel worker.
Warnings were issued for several locations the person had visited while they were infected, including Springvale, Noble Park, Brighton and Keysborough.
Tighter restrictions mean face masks are now mandatory in public indoor spaces and the limit on the number of people gathering in a household will be reduced from 30 to 15.
The 75 per cent return to work cap in both public and private sectors scheduled for yesterday will be paused and the current cap of 50 per cent will remain in place.
