Family First upper house candidate Tom Kenyon has called on Premier Steven Marshall to end state government Covid-19 vaccine mandates, to ease the burden on health and first-responder work forces.

And he called-out the Marshall Government for hypocritically failing to impose a vaccine mandate on itself and all parliamentarians.

“It is hypocritical for the Premier to impose these draconian mandates on state government employees, forcing many into poverty, while allowing himself, his ministers and all MPs to go about their business free to make their own choices on vaccination.”

Mr Kenyon said mandates had become counter-productive, due to the rising numbers of state government employees forced out of their jobs for refusing the jabs.

“It is time for the Marshall Government to withdraw its cruel vaccine mandate system, and reinstate informed consent for South Australians,” said Mr Kenyon.

“I am vaccinated and so is my family, but mandates are doing more damage than good, leading to significant job losses among our most critical work forces, across health, paramedics, fire- fighters and police.”

Last week Family First promised to introduce a Religious Freedom Bill containing a conscience exemption from Covid-19 vaccine mandates, for people of faith.

He said vaccine mandates were being wound-up in other western countries.

“We are now seeing the withdrawal of mandates in the UK and states and provinces in North America, amid mounting objections by those who wish to make their own personal health decisions.”

“It is time for Premier Marshall to ‘see the light’ and end his harmful mandate system.”

Mr Kenyon made it clear that he encouraged South Australians to get vaccinated, to ensure as high a vaccination rate as possible, but said making it compulsory was counterproductive and “un-Australian”.

“Vaccination is a major weapon against Covid-19 and other serious illnesses, but if the Government can’t convince people to be vaccinated voluntarily, then that is their failure, not South Australians’.”

Family First stands for religious freedom and freedom of conscience, at a time of increasing restrictions on faith communities and the organisations they serve, such as schools, hospitals and aged care homes.

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Contact: Tom Kenyon 0439 977 221