After spending all week attacking South Australia’s trusted public health officials over their algal bloom advice, the SA Liberals have reached a new all-time low – attacking the officials for the advice they provided the Marshall Liberal Government on the COVID pandemic.

In an astonishing turnaround, SA Liberal Party President Leah Blyth appeared on FIVEAA radio to attack the health advice publicly backed by former Premier Steven Marshall, and communicated by his then press secretary Ashton Hurn:

“I think trust is a huge issue, particularly coming out of the COVID pandemic and what SA Health have demonstrated is they can’t be trusted to provide clear and evidence-based health advice.”

The Liberal Party is an absolute shambles being controlled by the far-right.

The Liberals continue to spread outrageous conspiracy theories and now they’re attacking our hard-working health experts who led us through the COVID pandemic, including Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier.

What an embarrassment for Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia and his health spokesperson Ashton Hurn.

This is now a clear test of Vincent Tarzia’s leadership.

He must take strong action against the party president for her outrageous slur which was made during a discussion about the algal bloom.

Mr Tarzia cannot continue to sit back and tolerate this behaviour from his party.

First the Liberals created fake documents to spread a discredited conspiracy theory that the algal bloom was caused by desalination plants.

Then they created AI images of blood in the water to suggest the bloom was worse than the COVID pandemic that killed millions.

Now they’ve attacked the state’s most trusted health professionals for providing scientific-based advice to keep South Australians safe.

Vincent Tarzia must take control of the Liberal Party.

Attributable to Chris Picton

What a disgraceful attack on our public health officials including Professor Nicola Spurrier who the Liberals themselves trusted to lead South Australia through the COVID pandemic.

The SA Liberal Party now says SA Health ‘can’t be trusted’ to provide health advice.

This is shameful and yet another sign that the far-right has well and truly taken over the Liberal Party.

Liberal Leader Vincent Tarzia must show leadership and demand the SA Liberal Party President retract her outrageous slur, or resign.

It’s time for Vincent Tarzia to put a stop to the dangerous health conspiracies being spread by his party and let our expert public health officials get on with their important work without being attacked.