COVID-19 Vaccine side effects under scrutiny: Senate Inquiry targets excess mortality

 The inquiry would look into the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines to determine whether they were connected to excess deaths.

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Headstones can be seen on graves at the Korumburra General Cemetery in Korumburra, Australia, on Nov. 3, 2023. (Mell Chun/AFP via Getty Images)

By Alfred Bui

Australians concerned about excess deaths in recent years are now able to have their voice heard by the parliament as a new Senate inquiry has gone online.

Following the establishment of a Senate inquiry into excess mortality in the week ending March 31, the Australian parliament has opened a new page for the inquiry on its website, allowing concerned individuals and organisations to make submissions.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, excess mortality rose from minus 3.1 percent in 2020 to 1.6 percent in 2021 and 11.7 percent in 2022 before dropping to 6.1 percent in 2023.

Notably, there were almost 20,000 cases of excess deaths in 2022 alone.

The inquiry was established after the parliament narrowly passed a motion moved by United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet with a 31-30 vote on Feb. 26.

Mr. Babet had the support of the Opposition, One Nation Party, and some independent senators, while the Labor and the Greens opposed the motion.

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In a social media post, Mr. Babet said this was an opportunity for Australians to have a say on the issue.

“Many submissions are expected to be received from both individuals and professional organisations, with the opportunity for public hearings to follow later this year,” he wrote.

“This is your opportunity to have your say. If you have a personal story, knowledge, or expertise in this space, please prepare a submission for the committee.”

Australians can make submissions online via the parliament website, or they can send letters and emails to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee, which is responsible for investigating the matter.

Mr. Babet also said the committee was expected to finalise a report by the end of August.

“May this committee process give a voice to the family members of the deceased and deliver the answers that our nation so desperately needs,” he wrote.

Senate Committee to Investigate Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines

In an interview with 2GB Radio, Mr. Babet said the inquiry would look into the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines to determine whether they were connected to excess deaths.

“There would have to be at least a part of this, which is due to the vaccine,” he said.

“I want an answer at the end of this to say hey, that vaccines were a part of this, or the vaccines were not a part of the sport, or we don’t know, let’s investigate more.”

At the same time, the senator mentioned the challenges he faced during the process of establishing the inquiry, alleging that many politicians did not want to investigate the issue.

“For the last two or three years, none of the other senators … most of them have not wanted to take a look,” he said.

“They want to sweep things under the carpet. That’s what they’ve wanted to do.

“It’s not okay. It’s not how you do things. This is Australia. This is not a communist dictatorship.”

Meanwhile, Labor Senator Tim Ayres criticised the idea of having the parliament investigate excess deaths, saying it was opportunistic behaviour.

“Some people in the political system, of course, where they see fear, see opportunity. Where they see a capacity to divide people, to isolate them, and to frighten them, that is an opportunity,” he said.

While independent Senator David Pocock did not believe in COVID-19 vaccine “conspiracies,” he said there was a need to investigate the issue of excess mortality.

“I don’t accept the conspiracy theories that have been featured so heavily in Discord around COVID-19 vaccines,” he said.

“However, I do acknowledge there is data showing excess mortality rates that have increased in recent years.”