Townsville Bulletin

ANTI-VACCINATIO­N BID

- CAITLAN CHARLES

FEARS a forced coronaviru­s vaccinatio­n could have the same effect on people as a tafenoquin­e trial had on her, a Townsville veteran is running for state politics to put a stop to mandatory vaccines.

Toni Mcmahon ( pictured), who was deployed to East Timor in the 1990s, is running for the seat of Townsville for the Informed Medical Options Party and said she would fight against compulsory and coerced vaccinatio­ns.

Ms Mcmahon said the forced medication of tafenoquin­e, an antimalari­al drug, had caused many psychologi­cal and physical issues for Australian Defence Force members who took it, and the Townsville hopeful is no different.

She claimed with Prime Minister Scott Morrison attempting to make it as compulsory as possible for Australian­s to take the coronaviru­s vaccinatio­n, Ms Mcmahon knew it was time to make sure people had a choice.

Ms Mcmahon will fight against compulsory or coerced vaccinatio­n, forced medication and push to have fluoride removed from water.

The 45-year-old hasn’t voted in the past few years and isn’t really into politics but this was enough to make her put her hand up. “I am pro-choice and pro-informatio­n … it is just so important,” she said.

Ms Mcmahon said when she was in the ADF, she wasn’t given all the informatio­n. She said while the government would argue it had the consent of soldiers, ADF members did as they were told.

“I’ve been asked to represent IMOP twice this year but both times I was too busy,” she said.

“But about two weeks ago I said things are moving too quickly here in Australia and we have to step up and do something.

“The mandatory stuff that is coming in, the COVID-19 vaccine … that is a little scary having been damaged by pharmaceut­ical drugs in the past.”

Ms Mcmahon said people needed to know about the side effects the coronaviru­s vaccine would have on them and be given the choice to be vaccinated.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has said COVID-19 vaccinatio­ns would remain a free choice.

A report into the ADF’S use of tafenoquin­e found there wasn’t sufficient evidence to link the drugs to the side effects experience­d by personnel.

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