Summarised by Centrist
Journalist Rebekah Barnett reports that the Australian Senate, for a third time, voted against launching an inquiry into the nation’s high excess mortality rate, which was at nearly 10% above the norm in the first nine months of 2023.
The latest vote saw a 35-30 split, with opposing parties such as Labour, the Greens, and independent Lydia Thorpe voting against the motion.
Efforts to investigate the issue have been met with resistance, including previous failed motions by Senator Ralph Babet.
Barnett quotes Labour Senator Katy Gallagher who stated prior to the vote:
“The Government does not support this motion. The ABS [Australian Bureau of Statistics] is the definitive authority of mortality statistics and data in Australia and provides regular publications… This data is published online and available to everyone.”
However, Barnett counters by writing that while Gallagher is correct, “the ABS does not speculate as to why more Australians are dying of certain illnesses at greater or lesser rates.”
She notes that in 2020:
“Every single Covid-related death was meticulously documented in regular reports produced by state and territory health departments…”
But by 2024, thousands have since “died unexpectedly” and there appears to be little concern on the part of the authorities to investigate why.
