https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/mcgowan-fumes-at-prime-m...

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/mcgowan-fumes-at-prime-ministers-anti-vaxxer-dog-whistling/ar-AAQQAgS?li=AAgfLCP

McGowan fumes at Prime Minister's ‘anti-vaxxer dog whistling'

Asked at a press conference on Thursday what he thought of protests in Melbourne advocating violence against Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Mr Morrison said such behaviour had no place in Australia. However, in the same breath he acknowledged Australians were frustrated with governments telling them what to do, and it was time for states to "step back".

"Australians have done an amazing job when it comes to leading us through this pandemic, but now it's time for governments to step back and for Australians to take their lives back, and for Australians to be able to move forward with the freedoms that should be theirs," he said.

Mr Morrison criticised vaccine mandates beyond the health sector, after the McGowan government last month mandated vaccines for more than 1 million people in WA's working population.

"Businesses can make their own choices under the law, but we're not about telling them what to do or telling Australians what to do," Mr Morrison said. "[Australians] should be able to go and get a cup of coffee in Brisbane when you're over 80 per cent [of double-dose coverage], regardless of whether you've had the vaccines or not."

Mr McGowan and his family have been bombarded with threats since the vaccine mandate announcement.

He has also been forced to close his electorate office as staff were sent rape threats. Last week, a man allegedly tried to have an old British armoured war vehicle with a fake gun turret dropped off at Mr McGowan's electorate office.

The Premier said Mr Morrison's comments were unhelpful.

"There just should not be any weasel words," Mr McGowan said.

"There should be no walking on both sides of the fence, you condemn it and you support each of us that is trying to get people vaccinated across Australia.

"We can't have anyone trying to score points with the anti-vaxxers or dog-whistling to them.

"We just need to all be on the same page that we get everyone vaccinated, we come out of this as unscathed as possible, and we avoid the mass deaths that have occurred in other countries."