George Christensen appears at anti-lockdown rally alongside QAnon supporters

Maverick federal government backbencher George Christensen appeared at an anti-lockdown rally in Mackay and posed just metres from QAnon supporters.

The Member for Dawson was seen standing near signs that read “remove the pedophiles [sic] from power”, while other images from the rally — shared to local far-right Facebook accounts and seen by the ABC — showed people wearing shirts with the letter Q on them, as well as signs saying such things as “hey monster, leave those kids alone”.

QAnon, a loosely aligned group of online followers, promulgates conspiracy theories, chief among them that there is a global satanic paedophile cult that has infiltrated the highest levels of governments around the world, the media and Hollywood.

In the US, the FBI has labelled the group as a domestic terrorism threat.

When approached by the ABC about the rally, Mr Christensen distanced himself from the group.

“The rally had nothing to do with QAnon and neither do I,” Mr Christensen said.

“There were people at the rally who were hardcore Greens who hate coal-mining and me being there doesn’t mean I agree with them on mining.”

‘On our side’

The QAnon signs were framed out of photos of the rally shared to Mr Christensen’s Facebook page.

Dr Kaz Ross is an independent researcher into far-right extremism in Australia and said Mr Christensen’s attendance at the rally with QAnon supporters would validate conspirators.

“It shows that they believe there are people within the government [who] are supporting them and backing them,” Dr Ross said.

“It reinforces a view that they’re correct.”

Dr Ross said Mr Christensen was popular with particular fringe groups and had built a large supporter base among them.

“I haven’t seen any direct support for QAnon from [Mr Christensen], however these people kind of dog-whistle to the QAnon supporters, supporting things like hydroxychloroquine as a treatment of COVID, they’ll be against masks and lockdowns, those sort of things.

Attendance slammed

The Mackay rally on Saturday was one of many anti-lockdown protests across Australia over the weekend, including a large one in Sydney where up to 15,000 people attended and another in Brisbane that police said attracted about 7,500 people. 

“Our freedoms to speak up, to go out and about, to associate with other people, choose what we wear, choose what we put into our bodies, are under attack from government,” Mr Christensen told the Mackay rally.

“Governments of all descriptions, Labor and LNP — which I’ve got to say to my shame as a Liberal National Party member.”

Mr Christensen’s attendance at the Mackay rally drew quick condemnation from Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese.

“George Christensen is a member of the government, who is putting out misinformation that is damaging and that’s undermining the efforts of those Australians who are making sacrifices to keep each other safe,” Mr Albanese said.

“As members of parliament, including George Christensen, we have a responsibility to actually put forward information [that] is factual, not based on quack theories, and not information which is dangerous, that encourages people to risk their own health and the health of others.”

Federal government ministers have defended Mr Christensen’s attendance at the rally, while distancing themselves from his message.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told RN Breakfast the government had a “responsibility to people’s lives” as people would die if “you do down the path of a free for all”.

But, he said, everyone had the “liberty to say what they want”.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said he disagreed with Mr Christensen’s comments, but defended his rights to the “expression of views”.

Mr Christensen’s attendance at the rally is not the first time he has come under fire during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March he labelled mask mandates as “insanity” and, in October, he wrote to Queensland’s Chief Health Officer calling for the ban on hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment to be overturned, despite agencies such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration “strongly discouraging” its use.

In April, he announced he would retire from federal politics at the next election.

Understanding QAnon supporters

Dr Ross said it was important to remember that people who support QAnon — or are “an anti-vaxxer, or [an] anti-lockdown type of person” — were coming from a position of care and concern.

“They’re concerned about Australians, they’re concerned about democracy, they’re concerned about children, they just have a lot of misinformation.

“It’s important to remember that they’re not necessarily evil people [who] are trying to trash the place — quite the opposite.

“One of the things that we have to do is make sure that any misinformation is adjusted and challenged, and these people are supported to see that their views are not exactly accurate.”

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