This week on the pod I chat with Dr. Peter Donald, a dissident doctor who took an early retirement rather than submit to the draconian Covid mandates. We discuss Peter’s background in India, increasing regulation, the politics of government coercion and his decision to retire rather than submit to policies and procedures he conscientiously objected to. Peter also illuminates me on the nature of contagion and what was wrong with the government narrative regarding masks, lockdowns and jabs.
Peter is taking part in a new study by the Murdoch Institute called “No Jab, No Job project – A COVID-19 vaccine legacy” on those who lost their jobs due to the COVID mandates - i.e., those who were ‘mandated out’ of employment. I am interested in this development given there has been almost no discussion on the many medical (and other) staff who lost their jobs during this sorry period. One can’t help but be cynical (as Peter is) about the ultimate outcome of a project housed within a mainstream institution.
If one looked at the Australian media, one would be forgiven for thinking this widespread job loss never happened! Just to take a few of the most well known examples there is, Dr. Chris Neil, Dr. Mark Hobart, Dr. Paul Oosterhuis, Dr. Jayanthi Kunadhasan, Dr. Luke McLindon, Dr. Robert Brennan among many others (see also here and here). All lost their jobs for taking a stance of principled opposition to the mandates. Many have not been able to return. Others, like Dr. Kerryn Phelps have spoken out about their own vaccine injuries only to be forced to defend against spurious accusations of being “anti-vaxxers”.
The hermetically sealed media presents the appearance of ideological conformity as if it were the end of the story. Of course, this is far from the case as a new book, COVID through our Eyes: An Australian Story of Mistakes, Mistreatment and Misinformation by dissident doctors explores. They’re launching the book in a few days.
Zooming out we can see that this is part of a much bigger trend of increased regulation and ideological policing of doctors and allied health professionals. Conscientious objection and viewpoint diversity are being obliterated by an increasingly draconian state. See, for example the recent case of Dr. Jillian Spencer sacked over her opposition to “gender affirming care,” which she has recently written about in the Journal of Controversial Ideas, here.
Similarly, Tweet policing is also impacting Australian doctors as the case of Dr. Jereth Kok clearly demonstrates. Here is how AMPS describe his case,
The suspension of Melbourne GP Dr Jereth Kok by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) stands as a warning to the entire medical profession. For more than six years, Dr Kok has been barred from practising medicine – not for any clinical misconduct, not for harming a patient, but for a series of predominantly private online posts made years ago, many before any formal complaint was even lodged.
There were no patient complaints. His clinical record was unblemished. He offered to remove the posts. Yet he was suspended in 2019, based on complaints from anonymous sources. He was subjected to a regulatory and legal process so slow and punitive it has destroyed his medical career.
This episode is part of a new series on the pod interviewing folks who have either lost their jobs, retired, been pushed, pressured or bullied out, or who have voluntarily exited a system they can no longer abide by. In other, words I am wanting to talk to ordinary people about their experiences with the “new normal”. As usual you can listen to the interview on Apple, YouTube and Podbean.
Enjoy and see you next time.
