There is much concern in the community about the Albanese Labor Government’s adoption of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Pandemic Agreement.
In May 2024, I was one of 14 Parliamentarians who wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to alert his government to our serious concerns about committing Australia to the proposed WHO Pandemic Treaty.
As noted in our letter, the International Heath Regulation amendments and the Pandemic Treaty would transform the WHO from an advisory organisation to a worldwide health authority dictating how governments must respond to emergencies, which the WHO itself declares. That outcome would have been well outside the jurisdictional competence of the WHO, was unacceptable to many Australians, and we called on the Government to reject the International Health Regulation Amendments and the WHO Pandemic Treaty.
Since then, the WHO and member nations worked on a Pandemic Agreement, and it was adopted by the Albanese Labor Government on 20 May 2025. It is important to note that the Australian Parliament was not in session between March and July 2025, and Members of Parliament and Senators were not given the opportunity to assess or debate Australia’s adoption of the Agreement.
While I have serious reservations and concerns about the role of the WHO and its management of COVID-19, I acknowledge that working with and sharing information with other countries can have merit as part of our preparedness to safeguard and protect Australians from diseases which may affect our community.
To that extent, it may be useful and beneficial for Australia to work with other governments when it can improve the health and wellbeing of our own population and others.
However, I will not support any measure that would allow foreign bodies to dictate Australia’s policies, change Australia’s laws or determine our nation’s future, or require us to cede control our nation’s autonomy to another country, international institution or forum.
I note that the Pandemic Agreement states that: “Nothing in the WHO Pandemic Agreement shall be interpreted as providing the Secretariat of the World Health Organisation, including the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, any authority to direct, order, alter or otherwise prescribe the national and/or domestic law, as appropriate, or policies of any Party, or to mandate or otherwise impose any requirements that Parties take specific actions, such as ban or accept travellers, impose vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement lockdowns.”
As with all Parliamentary bills, legislative amendments or policy submissions, I always consider each issue on its merits, consider all perspectives, and use my vote accordingly. In 2021 I took the very serious step of crossing the floor of Parliament, voting against my own Party and Labor to support freedom of speech when I sought to bring on a debate regarding the impact of COVID-19 vaccination measures. I intend to apply the same scrutiny and standard when this Pandemic Agreement comes before the House of Representatives and I will continue to put Wide Bay and Australia’s interests first and foremost in everything I do.
My office is always here to help in any matter controlled by the Australian Government. If you need assistance please contact me on telephone 4121 2936, email llew.obrien.mp@aph.gov.au, my website www.llewobrien.com.au or on Facebook www.facebook.com/llewobrienlnp.
