Australian One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts under scrutiny for COVID and green‑energy conspiracy claims

Senator Malcolm Roberts of the One Nation party has attracted renewed criticism after resurfacing statements that COVID‑19 deaths were "staged", that vaccines are "bioweapons" and that a secret "green energy cabal" of asset managers is directing the transition to renewables. His remarks, first made in a 2025 video interview, were highlighted by Australian media and prompted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to condemn the senator’s history of promoting conspiracy theories.

The controversy comes as One Nation’s poll numbers have risen, with a Roy Morgan poll showing the party’s primary vote slipping to 22.5% while the Liberal‑National coalition gained ground. The party’s leader, Pauline Hanson, is also facing scrutiny over her own overseas engagements. Analysts note that the spread of such misinformation by elected officials can distort public understanding of public‑health measures and climate policy, with possible repercussions for vaccine uptake and energy‑policy debates in Australia.